Dreams Really Do Come True
by Sparrow Love7
Summary: A young girl, Corie, is traveling to England with her choir. Her friend Ali and her get the adventures of their life when they realize Peter Pan does acually exist and he pays them a visit at their hotel room. What will happen when Corie and Ali leave?
1. London, here we come!

_This is my first and probably only Peter Pan story that I will ever do but I will make it enjoyable, don't worry! I'm also writing a Pirates of the Caribbean story and a Phantom Story! Hope you like this one!_

**Dreams Do Come True**

I walked into the airport, with my large suitcase rolling beside me and my other large bag carried in my left hand. My mom was walking beside me, my carry-on bag in her hand. We were both looking around the airport, trying to spot my choir class. It was eight at night and many busy and professional people were walking briskly to and fro, their shoes clicking on the tile throughout the airport. I heard a very familiar voice as I kept trying to find my class. "Corie!"

I turned around, beaming, to see one of my best friends running towards me, a look of pure excitement on her face. Her long, dark hair soared out behind her as she ran. "Oh my gosh, Ali!" I cried as I dropped my bag to hug her. She was much shorter than me so it was easy to pick her up and spin her. I finally dropped her and we looked at each other in pure shock. "Can you believe that we're here?" I asked.

"I know! We've been waiting for this for so long!" she cried. She looked over at my mom who had been watching us in amusement the whole time. "Hi Mrs. Pasky." Ali had always been a very, friendly person. I did not know one person in our school that did not enjoy her presence. She had a hilarious sense of humor and she always found a way to make me smile. My mom absolutely adored her also.

"Hi, Ali. I can tell you're just as excited as Corie," my mom said, smiling at me.

"Yeah I am!" I cried, and Ali and I laughed together. "Are we all meeting here?" I asked Ali as we walked over to the rest of the choir huddled together.

"Yeah. And then we buy all our tickets together and board!" We giggled again and my mom laughed with us.

My other friends from choir ran over and hugged me too. We all laughed together; making plans and ideas for how much fun we were going to have. My choir director came over, wearing a ridiculous shirt with the British flag plastered on the front. "Hey there girls! You excited?"

We all nodded and I said, "Wow, you're looking great Dr. Brady." He smiled.

"Thanks! Just trying to show a little spirit for our trip," he said, laughing to himself. Dr. Brady was a funny guy. He got along with everyone in the choirs. He was a very good director and knew exactly how to teach a class to sing.

My mom tapped me on the shoulder. "Well, I better be going. There's going to be a lot of traffic on the way home. I want to get back at a decent hour." I smiled at her and we embraced. She kissed me on the top of the head and smiled down at me. "Have a great time. I wish I was going with!" she cried as she set down my carry-on bag on the floor. "Bye Ali! Have a good time too!"

"Thanks Mrs. Pasky! See you in ten days!" Ali said as she hugged my mom.

My mom kissed me one last time on the head and then turned around to leave the airport. She stepped outside and disappeared behind a large family. I turned to Ali again and we laughed excitedly. "Gosh, when does Lisa get here? She's always late," I said.

Ali laughed. "I know. She's probably stuck in traffic or something."

Ali, Lisa, and I were always together. You could call us the Three Amigos. We were always hanging out, just the three of us. At the choir Halloween party, we always wore the same costume. People knew us to always be together. We were great friends. It was going to be all of us rooming together in London, and also my other best friend, Elaine.

"I can't wait to see the room in London! It's going to be awesome!" Ali said, grabbing my arm.

"I know! I can not express how excited I am for this trip," I answered back.

We stood there with the other choir kids for about five minutes, when I heard my friend, Elaine come up from behind. "Corie…Ali!"

We both turned around and screamed. We hugged each other and started freaking out. As we talked and giggled, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Again, I got another surprise as I saw Lisa standing in front of me, beaming. I screamed again and we all embraced one more time.

"This is the best day of my life," I said. We all laughed and sat down on the ground, getting ready for the rest of the choir kids to arrive.

It was about forty-five minutes later when the rest of the choir kids showed up. Everyone was excited and talking amongst their groups about what the trip was going to be like. In groups, we all had to get our tickets, go through security, and find our gate. Excitement was coursing through my body when I realized there was only a half an hour until we had to board the plane. "Corie…I can't believe we're sitting next to each other!" Ali cried, grabbing my arm.

"I know…what are the chances?" I said back.

"What are we going to watch?" she asked, as we both sat down in the row of chairs. Lisa and Elaine were both reading a magazine together.

"I don't know; let's see what the options are." I pulled out my portable DVD player. Inside, I put about ten movies to keep myself entertained and distracted during the flight. "Pirates…Holes…Miracle…Phantom of the Opera…oh my gosh…what about Peter Pan?"

She shrieked with delight and nodded. "Oh my gosh; it's perfect. Peter Pan is in England and we're going to England!" We both laughed.

"That would be cool though," I said quietly as we finished laughing.

"What?" Ali asked, looking over at me with interest on her face.

"Going to Neverland with Peter Pan. You never know; it might happen. We're going to London and that's where Peter Pan is!"

She laughed and then we both leaned our heads together to read "People" magazine together, both waiting anxiously to board the plane.

"Come on girls; stick together! You're going to miss the plane!" Dr. Brady cautioned as I hugged Elaine and Lisa.

"See you in eight hours!" I said.

"Yeah, meet us after we land," said Lisa as she stepped in front of us to board.

Ali and I nodded and we hoisted our carry-on bags over our shoulders and stepped into the hallway to board the plane. Thoughts were rushing through my head as we stepped onto the ramp that led inside the airplane. This trip was going to change my life. It was a very, big deal to me. I had never been to Europe before, and now I was about to go there for ten days. I had been waiting for this trip for a long time and now it was actually happening. As we found our row and sat down in our seats I thought, _"Wow, I wonder if anything really exciting will happen."_

"Corie! Get up!"

I got up to Ali nudging my head up and down. I opened my eyes and realized I had been asleep on her shoulder. The shade was closed on the window, but I could see the sun trying to shine on in through to us. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "What time is it?"

"Uh…England time or Chicago time?" Ali laughed.

I laughed too. "England time."

"The pilot said it's around one' o' clock. We're lucky we got a lot of sleep; now we will have a lot of energy for today."

"Did I fall asleep during Peter Pan?"

Ali frowned. "Yeah, but I put it away for you. It's under your seat. It's okay though because the real thing is going to happen to us anyway."

We laughed and I apologized for falling asleep. I turned around to look at the rest of the kids around me. Some were asleep and lying on each other's shoulders as I had and others were either talking excitedly to their friends or reading and listening to music. I looked for Lisa and Elaine and saw them near the back; both of them were asleep with headphones over the ears. I smiled and turned back to Ali. "How much time do we have left till we land?"

"About fifteen minutes."

"Are you serious?!"

"Yeah, we've been sleeping a long time. Time flies by when you're having fun." She smiled and then put her iPod headphones in her ears. I lay my head against my seat and waited for the landing. We were going to be in London in fifteen minutes time.

The landing was rough, as it always was, and Ali and I had shaken with excitement the whole time. It was amazing how strange your limbs felt after sitting in an airplane for about eight hours. I stood up and almost immediately fell back down. My legs were killing me. The aisle filled up immediately with all of the kids in choir and I spotted most of my friends walking by as I waited to get my bag. I reached up into the compartment to grab it and Ali and I walked off the plane together. We both screamed as we stepped out into the airport of London, England. We were finally here.

_I'm sooo sorry that that chapter sucked but I swear the next one will be A LOT better. It will actually have some Peter Pan in it! Don't worry!_


	2. The Boy Who Never Grew Up

_I know that last chapter was extremely boring but this one is going to be a lot better so don't worry! Hope you enjoy it!_

The Boy Who Never Grew Up

"I can't believe how gorgeous our view is!" cried Elaine from the balcony of our room.

"I know!" I cried, running over. We both looked out at the street below us.

London was absolutely gorgeous. In the streets below us, there were plenty of pedestrians and cars moving along. There was a beautiful church right across from our hotel and we could see much of the city just from standing at our window. I leaned my head on Elaine's shoulder and she laughed. "Jet lagged?"

"Just a little bit," I said, laughing with her. I went back inside to unpack my suitcase. I walked to my bed that I was going to share with Ali. Ours was the closest to the window, as we had requested.

"It's easier for Peter to pick us up!" Ali explained to Elaine and Lisa on the bus to the hotel.

I stuffed my clothes into the drawers that I had claimed as mine. Lisa had turned on some music to get us even more excited to roam the streets of London. She put on some "Beatles" and we were all singing along within a minute.

"We don't have a concert tonight, do we?" asked Elaine.

"No, we have one tomorrow morning though," answered Lisa.

"Good, then we can meet some hotties tonight!"

"Yeah, like Brady will let us!" I said.

"He's not gonna be with us. He's just going off by himself like all of us are," Ali said, with a mischievous look on her face.

We all smiled and continued to unpack all of many outfits. As we were talking, there was a knock on our door. Elaine walked over and opened it. A random woman counselor was there. "Hey girls, just wanted to tell you that we're all going to meet in the lobby in about half an hour, okay?"

"All right, thanks." Elaine closed the door and cried, "I get bathroom first!"

She ran for it and Lisa ran after her. "No way, two people at a time!" Elaine closed the door in her face and Lisa tried to battle her way in.

"I just call the mirror by the window," I said, carrying my makeup bag over.

"There's enough room for me, right?" Ali asked, scooting in next to me with her bag.

I nodded and all four of us prepped ourselves up for the definite good time we were going to have that night in London.

"Okay, all of you listen!" Dr. Brady yelled over the many conversations of the choir kids. Once it quieted down a bit, he continued his rules. "You can go within two blocks of here. Beyond that, is restricted. If I find out that you crossed that boundary, you will be taken out of the concert tomorrow morning. All right, be back at the hotel lobby by 9:30. We're going to be taking record of wherever everyone is so don't think that you're going to be able to come in late tonight. I'm gonna know." He smiled at us and said, "Okay, go have fun!"

There was a rush of action as all of the kids in the lobby filed out of the front doors onto the streets of London. My friends and I immediately walked toward the middle square where tons of small shops and restaurants were lined up along the street. We all linked arms and took out all of our cameras to take pictures of everything that was in our sight. Ali smiled up at me. "We're gonna have so much fun today!"

"Yeah we are!" I yelled back.

"I can't believe I bought so much!" Lisa groaned, planting her six shopping bags on her bed.

"I can't believe it's already ten; this day went by so fast!" I said, putting down my shopping bags on the floor. "Did you see those hot British guys though?"

My friends giggled and we all jumped on our beds to talk about girly things and the fun we had had that day shopping in London. "What time is our concert again?" Elaine asked.

"Ten," I answered, sitting against my pillows, looking out at the street below. All the houses and buildings were lit against the dark night. It game me a comfy, warm feeling.

My friends groaned and Ali leaned forward to set the alarm clock. "What do you think? Eight thirty?" We nodded and she pushed the buttons to set it.

The time was eleven when we were all changed in our pajamas and sitting in our beds. Elaine and Lisa fell asleep right away, but Ali and I were still awake, talking about how much fun was still awaiting us for this trip. "I can't believe we're here," I whispered.

"I know! It's so hard to believe it. This trip is going to change our lives."

I laughed. "Especially since we're going to go to Neverland tonight." She laughed too and we both leaned back on our backs to fall asleep. "Night," I whispered.

"Night."

I looked once more at the window that was open a small bit to provide a nice chill for us in our warm beds. I smiled and closed my eyes and fell asleep within two minutes.

_Tap…tap…tap…._

I woke up suddenly, hearing a tapping against the side of our window. I looked out at it and saw nothing. I looked down at my friends to see if they had heard anything, but they were fast asleep. I lay back down and tried to fall asleep again.

_Tap…tap…tap…_

I sat up again and looked out the window. Nothing was there. I slid my feet out from under the covers and walked over to the window. I opened it a little wider than before to see if there was anything on the sides of the windows. There was nothing. I frowned, but left the window open all the way as I walked back to our bed and slid under the covers. I sighed and closed my eyes again. I started to drift away again into my deep sleep. As I was fading, I felt a hand touch my face. Thinking it was Ali, I brushed it away and turned on my side. A moment later, it touched my face again and I opened my eyes to tell her to stop.

My heart stopped at the sight in front of me. Before I could scream, the hand that was touching my face was covering my mouth and no noise was heard from me. I immediately panicked and tears sprang to my eyes. In front of me was a boy. He was tan and had blonde hair. _"It can't be,"_ I thought as I stared at him in shock. He was wearing green leaves which covered about half of him and he was not wearing a shirt. He was dirty and smelled of sweat and I knew right away that I was dreaming.

He leaned close to me and whispered, "Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to take my hand off of your mouth and you have to promise not to scream."

_"If this is a dream, then why can I feel him touching me? Why can I smell the dirt on him?" _I finally realized that it was not a dream. It did not feel light or blurry as I usually feel in dreams. This was real. Peter Pan was standing right in front of me, covering my mouth.

Peter slowly took his hand away from my mouth tentatively. I stared at him in shock as he looked down on me. His eyes were as blue as the sea and his air was windswept as if he had just gotten off a roller coaster. He smiled down at me as he whispered again. "I'm Peter Pan. What's your name?"

When I spoke, it did not sound like my own voice. "Corie."

"Where are you from?"

"America."

"Ah…I have never been there." He started to walk around the room, touching random things here and there. I immediately began to laugh and I sat up against my pillow. He turned around. "What are you laughing at?"

"Okay, who are you? And who put you up to this?"

He looked mildly surprised. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about this act you're playing. Was it Elaine…or was it Lisa? She'd be the one to do it, wouldn't she?"

"Is she Lisa?" He pointed to Ali and he walked closer towards her to gaze down on her.

"No, that's Ali. Lisa is the one with brown hair in the other bed." I pointed to her, but he was still looking down on Ali.

"I like her," he said, his voice gentle and soft. He was looking down on my friend as if she was an angel.

I cleared my throat for him to look up at him. "Well?" I asked, a little more irritated than before.

"Yes?"

"Well, I want you to tell me what you're doing here. I mean, the outfit is cute and everything, but I'm tired and I'm waking up soon for a huge concert, and I would really appreciate it if you would just tell me who you are and how you got here."

His face did not falter once as he answered all my questions. "Well, I'm here because I usually fly along the streets of London in the middle of the night. I saw you all sleeping and it has been a long time since I have spoken with a girl, so I thought that it would be nice. The last time I have spoken with Wendy was years ago. And I already told you who I was; I'm Peter Pan. And I got here by flying."

There was a moment's silence before I burst out into quiet laughter again. "I don't see how that is funny," he said, a slight disappointed.

"How long have you been practicing that one? I mean, that was perfectly rehearsed and everything. Especially the part with Wendy; that is just perfect." I got up from the bed and I walked towards him. I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Listen, this has been fun. It was great meeting you "Peter." I really need some sleep though, so I'm just gonna lead you the way out." I started pushing him towards the door.

"If you wish me to leave, I will. But I'll go this way." He pointed towards the window.

I laughed out loud again. "Haha, of course you will, Mr. Pan. Well, go on and fly home. Second star to the right and straight on till morning, right?"

He looked down at me in surprise. "How do you know that?"

I shrugged. "Guess I'm just that good. Well, good night, Peter." I opened up the window to the highest it could go. He stood in his spot, staring at the window. I waved my arms toward it. "Go on! Just think of a happy thought and go."

He looked at me, sadness etched in his eyes. He shrugged and jumped out of the window. "Wait!" I screamed, and I ran forward to stop him. It was too late though. My heart dropped as I realized what had just happened. "Oh my god, he just killed himself! Oh my god!" I slid down against the wall and slid my fingers through my hair. I was breathing heavily, trying to calm my heartbeat.

"Guess I'll just have to look for someone else." I stopped breathing heavily and I brushed the tear off my face. My eyes widened in shock as I heard the voice of Peter from behind me, outside. I turned around quickly and my mouth dropped at the sight in front of me.

Outside my window, was Peter. He was floating in midair, with a smile on his face. I stared at him in shock as he flew towards me and stepped on the railing of the window. "Am I allowed to come back in?" he asked.

I nodded my mouth still wide open. He smiled at me and stepped back into our room. "Guess you weren't expecting that," he laughed. I shook my head and he moved towards me. "It's not appealing for a woman to keep her mouth open."

I shut it and it seemed my thoughts were much clearer now. I moved around him and started pacing the floor of out apartment. "There's no way. How can you fly? I mean…it's impossible. You can't be…" I looked up at him and he smiled.

"I am. I'm Peter Pan." He bowed down to the floor, the way he had done it in the movie.

"This is so weird…and yet…amazing at the same time."

"Does this mean you're going to come with me?"

"With you?! You mean… to Neverland?!"

He smiled. "Of course. I want you to meet my Lost Boys."

"Oh my gosh, there is no way this is happening. I mean, Ali and I have joked about it, but I didn't know that this was actually real." A light bulb went off in my head as I mentioned Ali's name. "Ali!"

"Ali?"

"Yes! Ali! Can I bring her too, Peter! She loves you and Neverland just as much as me!"

"How do you know about Neverland already?"

I groaned. "It's a long story; I'll explain later. I don't want to waste any time missing Neverland. I have to be back by morning."

"All right, you can explain on the way there. And…you can bring Ali." He looked back over at her with that dazed look on his face again.

I squealed with joy and I ran over to Ali. "Ali! Ali!!!! Wake up!" I shook her body as frantically as I could.

She groaned and opened her eyes. "What?!" she asked, grumpily.

"I know this is going to sound really strange and you won't believe it, but Peter Pan is here; for real. And he wants us to go to Neverland with him!" I ran back over to Peter and Ali sat up in bed to look at the both of us.

"What is going on?" she asked in awe.

Peter smirked at me before he let himself levitate into the air. Ali's mouth opened in shock and she jumped out of bed. "Is this real?!" she asked.

I laughed and Peter landed beside her. She looked up at him and there was a moment's silence as they stared at each other. Peter was looking at her with very, gentle eyes. "I'm Peter," he said with a whisper.

"I'm Ali."

I waited a few seconds before I cleared my throat again to get them out of their trance. "Well, are we going?" I asked eagerly.

"Of course," Peter said. He turned away from Ali, his face slightly red from embarrassment. "All you have to do is think of one happy thought… and it lifts you up into the air."

"This is so weird," Ali whispered to herself. I laughed and I looked out into the darkness of the streets. We were going to Neverland. This was going to be the biggest thing that would ever happen to Ali and me.

_Next chapter is going to have them actually in Neverland and all that, so don't worry! Hope you guys like it so far!_


	3. Arriving At Neverland

_This chapter is definitely going to have some awesome stuff in it! Get ready for the meeting of the Lost Boys and all that!_

Arriving at Neverland

Peter stepped to the window and Ali and I stared at him. He turned around. "Well, are you coming?"

"Well, I can't think of a happy thought _that_ fast," Ali laughed.

Peter laughed and stepped towards her. She looked up at him with a gentle smile. "What makes you happy?" he asked her quietly.

She bit her lip in thought, searching for an answer. Her eyes lit up after a moment of pondering. "Pirates!"

I giggled and Peter laughed. He looked down at her as if she was a child and he was the teacher. "Now…keep that happy thought in your head at all times. All you need is fairy dust."

"Let me just get it out of my back pocket." We laughed and Peter rolled his eyes.

He stuck his hand into one of the pouches that was hanging off his belt. He brought his hand out and it was now covered in gold, glittery powder. We stared down at it in shock as it sparkled in the darkness. He smiled and held it in front of Ali. "Got that happy thought?"

Ali put herself into deep concentration and nodded her head. Peter laughed at her determined face. "Relax your face! Don't be so nervous. You'll be able to fly perfectly with fairy dust." Ali nodded her head, embarrassed, and Peter blew the fairy dust onto her. Ali smiled at him and she started to levitate off the ground.

I stared at her in shock as she reached the top of the room. Her mouth was open in shock and she was laughing quietly. She looked down at us in disbelief and Peter nodded at her. Ali giggled and started to do flip flops through the air. I started to laugh and used all of my power to stop myself from waking Lisa and Elaine up. I didn't even realize Peter was right next to me until I heard his voice right next to my ear. "You ready?" he asked.

I searched my brain for the happiest thought that I had ever thought in my life. _"My friends…no…my family…nah…my choir class…almost there…what makes me the most happy?"_ A light bulb went off inside my head. _"Being here! Being in England!"_ I looked up at Peter with a huge smile on my face. "England! That is my happy thought. Being here with my friends and choir!"

Peter smiled and blew the fairy dust on me also. It was the best feeling in the world. I was floating through the air and nobody could stop me. The world looked so different up in the air. I was in control. I felt excited and reckless and I reached the ceiling. Ali laughed when she realized that I was flying also. Peter was soon next to us with a huge smile. "Ready?" he asked eagerly.

"Yeah!" Ali and I replied back quickly.

Peter flew in front of us out the window. Ali followed. I gave one last glance at Elaine and Lisa asleep in their beds until I flew over the balcony and was flying over the sidewalk of the London streets.

The wind was blowing through my hair and I realized that I was wearing just a tank top and sweatpants. My hair was up in a messy bun and I did not have any makeup on. I had chills all along my arms as we passed through the crisp night air of London. Peter soared even higher and Ali and I followed. Gray clouds were surrounding us and we passed through each one. Ali grabbed my hand and we both laughed together. "This is probably a dream!" she yelled against the wind.

"Then why am I so damn cold?" I yelled back.

We both laughed and Peter looked back at us. "Hurry it up! We've still got a long way to go."

The good thing about flying is that you don't get tired. You feel so free and weightless, like nothing can bring you down. The lights of London suddenly vanished as we got even higher in the sky. We were now looking down on a bit of land that was the island of England itself. Ali and I looked down at in shock as we realized how high up we were. "Even higher!" Peter laughed.

Within five minutes, we were in space. The earth looked so small as we soared away from it. We could see random lit up cities and the beautiful oceans beneath us. It was hard to believe that just fifteen minutes ago, I was asleep in my bed, thinking of the concert the next day. We were flying though a field of stars. My heart leapt and I smiled at Peter when he looked back on us again. "It's time!"

"For what?" Ali asked nervously. She looked just as cold as I. Her cheeks were pink from the wind and I could see the goosebumps on her arms.

"Grab my ankle," he said, with a sly smile.

I looked at Ali and she smiled at me. "I saw that one coming," she whispered to me. I laughed and I reached up to grab Peter's filthy ankle. I felt Ali grab onto mine with a tight grip.

Holding onto Peter made us fly much faster than before and I was nervous for what was to happen next. "Whatever you do…don't…let…GO!!" It felt like we were being sucked through a tube at the speed of light. Both Ali and I screamed and I tightened my grip on Peter's ankle as the stars zoomed past us. I knew that we were leaving our world and going to Neverland and my heart skipped a beat with excitement. As quickly as we had changed speed, we suddenly changed speed again. We stopped and it seemed we had fallen out of the tube. I was breathing quickly from the sudden movement and Ali had let go of my ankle. "Look ahead!" Peter yelled from in front of us. We both looked and were shocked to see the sight in front of us.

Neverland. If there was one word to describe heaven, that would be the word. The sun was peeking just over the tops of the tall, green mountains at the rear of the island. The rays were seeping onto the top of the sapphire ocean. The forests were lush and green, yet the beaches were dry and sandy. I felt my heart soar as we crossed over the ocean, Peter trilling his finger in the water. As we got closer, it was easier to see. I saw a pirate ship floating near the shore. It had black sails and I immediately knew that it was Hook's ship. I smiled and looked near the rocks. There, I could see mermaids, basking in the rays of newborn sun. I looked over at Ali and I saw that she had tears in her eyes. Peter looked back at us and smiled at the looks on our faces. "We have to go meet my Lost Boys. I told them I'd be back right away. Do you mind?"

"No!" Ali and I screamed.

He laughed. "All right. I'm guessing you know about them too. Will you ever tell me how you knew about Neverland before I told you about it?"

"Maybe someday," I answered.

Peter pouted and continued to fly towards the forest. After we got deep in the woods, Peter pointed down to the darkness. "This is it!" He leaned forward and sped down. Ali and I followed and entered the woods of Neverland. There were fairies zooming here and there. They lit up ever part of the forest and I smiled greatly. Forest animals were not shy at all and passed by our ankles every so often. "Do you like it?" Peter asked, his hands on his hips.

"Are you kidding? It's perfect!" Ali said.

Peter smiled and started to walk a little ways. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "LOST BOYS!" as loud as he could. The forest grew quiet for about fifteen seconds until we heard the sound of boys running their way towards us. We turned around and saw all of them, beating their hands on their mouths to make tribal noises. They were all dirty and looked like they hadn't washed their hair in years. Yet, they were perfect. Ali and I quickly giggled together before they all lined up in front of us. They all looked surprised to see us, but excited at the same time. Peter walked towards them, looking just like the leader he was. His hands were behind his back and he was walking among them. They were all standing up straight, trying to look proper for Peter. "Lost Boys! Name yourselves!"

"Slightly!"

"Tootles!"

"Curly!"

"Nibs!"

"Bitt!"

"Nitt!"

"Sky!"

The last name sounded out of place and I looked over at him curiously. He was the tallest, and the oldest of the group. When I looked at him, he looked back with a half smile on his face. His hair was shaggy and sun streaked with little patches of knots here and there. His face was tan and dirty. His eyes were dark, but they were lit with happiness and they shone as he smiled at me. I turned red and looked back down at my feet.

"These are girls that I found in London. They are to tell us stories, too! They are really from America, but are in England, singing with their choir. These are their names." He pointed at us to introduce ourselves.

"I'm Ali!" she said excitedly. The boys smiled at her and looked entertained by her sudden eagerness.

"I'm Corie," I said, looking at each of them. They smiled back at me and I noticed that all their hats were being held in their hands. They had taken them off when Peter had introduced them to us. When I came to Sky, he was smiling that half smile at me. I immediately felt warmer and I looked back over at Peter.

"They are here only for the night, but I hope that they will come back." He looked at us with question on his face. Ali and I nodded and all the Lost Boys cheered.

They ran over to us and grabbed out arms. Half of them went to Ali, and the other half came to me. They were talking so quickly, I could only hear some random words. Nibs, Curly, and Slightly were asking me questions at the same time and I just stared at them as they went on and on. I held up my hand. "Whoa!"

They immediately got quiet. Sky was just a little ways away, staring at the boys gathered around me with that smile on his face. "I can barely understand you," I said laughing.

"They tend to do that a lot," Sky said, walking towards me. He was much taller than me and I had to crane my neck to look up at him. He got close to me and said, "I get to ask the first question."

The other boys groaned, but Sky shushed them. They got quiet and waited for the question. He looked down at me with a look in his eyes that seemed like he had a major secret and he was keeping it from me. I didn't want to look scared of the power in his eyes, so I stared back at him with the same face he was doing. He finally took a breath and asked, "What was your happy thought?"

"Ooh, good one!" the other boys said. They looked at me, listening intently for my answer.

I laughed. "Uh, being in England. With all my choir friends."

"That's a nice thought," Sky said.

"I get to ask you a question now," I said bravely.

Sky looked taken aback. "Sure."

"Why's your name Sky?"

All the boys laughed. "Isn't it obvious?" he asked, pointing at himself.

Nibs cried out, "It's because he's as tall as a skyscraper. Get it? Sky? Get it?"

"Oh, well isn't that clever," I laughed.

Sky smiled at me. His British accent was very clear on his words as he spoke. "I can't help it that I'm the oldest one here."

"How old are you?"

"Quite young."

"I knew that was coming."

He laughed and Peter interrupted our conversation. "I guess we'll have to show them our hideout. Get the blindfolds!"

Ali looked at me nervously. "Are those really necessary?" she asked, grabbing Peter's arm as he reached to wrap the cloth around her head.

He looked down at her arm and she smiled before taking it off his. He smiled back and said, "I'm afraid so." He put it around her head and tied it securely in the back.

"Ready?" I heard a voice whisper in my ear. I jumped and turned to see Sky standing behind me with another cloth in his hand.

"Gosh, you scared me," I said, putting my hand on my heart.

He laughed. "My mistake. Come on, stay still."

"I'm not good with blindfolds."

He got close to me. "Trust me."

I stared up at him and that half smile of his. His eyes were glowing and he was looking at me with such intensity that I immediately grinned. He must have taken that as a yes because he put the cloth around my eyes and did a secure knot at the back of my head. He grabbed my shoulders and I felt chills shiver from the spot he touched down to my knees. I stumbled a bit. "Are you okay?" I heard him ask me as we started to walk.

"Uh…yeah…I'm fine." I silently cursed myself for tripping and let Sky lead me to wherever the hideout of Peter and the Lost Boys was. My heart was beating and I shook with excitement as I thought of the fun Ali and I were going to be having that day.

_Next chapter will be ALL Neverland so it will be a good one! Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!_


	4. The Best Experience

_This chapter will be good! It's all Neverland so it will be pretty interesting! Hope you enjoy!_

The Best Experience

Ali and I were walking blind through the forest. The sun was hot on our backs. _"At least these thin pajamas came in handy."_ The grass was crunching underneath our feet as we got closer and closer to the hideout. Ali and I did not speak, because the moment was much too intense. We were about to go into Peter's home. Sky was holding my shoulders gently as we walked on farther. Finally, after about ten minutes, we stopped.

"Are we here?" I asked.

"Yes. Don't take your blindfold off yet, though," Sky said.

I nodded and listened to the boys moving around us. I heard the creaking of a door being open and strain of an arrow being steadied in its bow. Someone came towards me and lifted the blindfold off of my face. The sun made my eyes tighten and tears came to my eyes. "Sorry about that," Sky said, grabbing my arm.

"It's okay." We walked towards what looked like a giant tree. Inside the trunk, was an open door. I looked beside me to see Ali looking excitedly at it. She then looked at me and we both giggled.

"All right. Just walk right in and Peter should be down there," said Sky.

"Just walk right in?" Ali asked nervously.

I knew what she was thinking. In the movie, when Wendy had first walked in, she had fallen through some type of hole and had slid down a slide to the hideout. Both of us didn't like surprises, so we both hesitated before stepping in.

Sky laughed. "What's wrong? Go on in!"

"It's dark," I said with a high voice. I grabbed Ali's arm as we peered into the dark room.

Sky laughed again and put his hand on both of our shoulders. "Just…GO!" He shoved us as hard as we could inside the tree. We both screamed as we went flying into the darkness.

As soon as we stepped in, the floor fell beneath us and we went flying down. We screamed again and landed on the slide that Wendy had gone down. We soared down into the light as we made it to the Lost Boys' hideout. As soon as we reached the bottom, the Lost Boys came in through different slides on the side and were making their chanting noises.

As Ali and I stood up, we saw Peter sitting on his large throne. His legs were thrown over the arm of the chair and he looked like he owned the place. He was smiling from our sudden shock and he stood up and walked towards us. "So, how do you like it?" he asked, throwing his arms into the air.

Ali and I looked around. The hideout was amazing. The boughs of the tree reached down into the main room where the boys ate. They made for perfect seats. A table was set up in the middle of the room. There were plates and cups set up on it already. In the corner, was Peter's bed. It was large and circular. It was covered with blankets and looked very comfortable. In the next room, was the Lost Boys' bedroom. There were bunk beds and a fireplace at the end of the room. Ali and I smiled at each other.

Peter smiled at our reaction and grabbed Ali's arm and started walking away, talking excitedly to her. I found myself jealous of the attention Ali was getting from Peter. Not because I _liked_ Peter, but because I wanted to spend a little more time with Ali in Neverland. Sky walked towards me and smiled. "So, how do you like it?"

"It's amazing," I said, smiling. I quickly looked over at Peter and Ali and they were both sitting down, laughing at something Peter had said. Sky looked over to see what I was looking at and raised his eyebrows.

"Looks like Peter has a crush."

"You really think so?"

"Why; does that bother you?"

"No! Not at all! If he does, I'm happy for them. I know Ali really well, and I haven't seen her smile like that in a while."

Sky smiled. "That's not the answer I was expecting."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, come on. It's Peter. Every girl is in love with him."

I laughed. "Trust me, I'm not."

"That's good to hear," Sky said quietly. He smiled at me.

We stared at each other a minute before Peter spoke up. "Lost Boys! Let's show Ali and Corie what the adventures are like in Neverland!"

The Lost Boys cheered and ran towards us. "You're going to love it." "You can do anything you want in Neverland." "Let's show them the river!" "No, the Fairy Forest!" "No, Mermaid Bay!"

"Quiet!" Peter shouted above the boys. The boys became silent and looked up to their leader. He smiled. "We can take them to all those places. But first, I think we should take them to the river. It's the closest from our hideout."

"Hooray!" the boys shouted. They all ran to get our blindfolds and put them on us as fast as we could.

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"Here it is…the river."

The blindfolds were taken off and Ali and I looked at the sapphire blue river. The sun was making tiny pinpoints of light reflect off, making the water look like blue crystal. The river did not have any swampy smell to it; it actually smelled like the aroma of flowers. Rainbow fish were jumping out of the river, breaking the surface. We could not see the bottom and rocks were jutting out here and there. Peter walked up to us. "You must be careful; the current can be strong at times. And watch out for the rocks. It hurts if you run into them."

Ali and I nodded. We were about to jump in when we realized we were still in our pajamas. "Wait!" I cried out. The Lost Boys looked over at us. "What are we supposed to wear?"

The Lost Boys laughed. "Well, what you're wearing of course!" Slightly called out.

"But we'll be soaked!" Ali said, laughing.

They laughed again and Peter looked at us. "Trust me; you'll dry up right away."

Ali and I looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders. We walked towards where all of them were waiting on the ledge. Peter yelled, "On the count of three, we all jump in!" Everyone bent their legs and made ready to jump. "Ready? One…two…"

"Look, a crocodile!" yelled the twins from behind us.

Ali and I jumped around at the same time and yelled, "Where?!"

Peter and Sky were standing directly behind us, huge smiles on their faces. The Lost Boys laughed and it was too late to get out of this prank. Peter reached for Ali and Sky reached for me. Time slowed down as they both shoved out shoulders. I grabbed Ali's arm, we both screamed, and we fell down into the cold water below. When we both reached the surface, they were all laughing and pointing at us. Ali looked at me and winked. I smiled and we both moved towards the shore.

"All right…all right…that was fun," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Now, let us out!" Ali cried. She and I both reached out hands up towards Sky and Peter. They laughed and grabbed them. Before they could even lift us up, Ali and I both yanked them down into the cool water with us. They yelled and fell down underneath the water. Ali and I laughed and gave each other high fives.

They both broke the surface and had frowns on their faces. "Ha! How do you like it?!" I asked both of them. They smiled and shook their heads.

"That was evil," Sky said.

"How could you not see that coming? That's the oldest trick in the book!"

"Well, I bet you didn't see this coming!" Sky cupped his hand and hit the water in my direction. It hit me right in the face and I gasped. Ali laughed and I looked over at her.

"You think that's funny? See how you like it!" I did the same to her and she gasped too. We all sat there for a moment laughing, and then we all started tossing water at each other.

I couldn't see anything; there was so much water being thrown in the air. The Lost Boys cheered and they all jumped in to join the water fight. Soon, we were all laughing and throwing water into our faces. While I was fighting, someone pulled my legs down from under the surface. I yelled and came back up to see Sky laughing at me. "Oh, you're going down!" I put my hands on top of his head and pushed down so he got dunked underneath the water.

After a couple minutes of fighting, everyone started slowing down and we were all breathing heavily from the intense fight. "That was fun," Peter said. We all laughed and swam to the shore. Sky got out first and reached his hand down to help me out.

"You sure you trust me?" I asked jokingly.

He laughed and I took his hand. He lifted me up and I landed on the warm grass. Ali looked over at me and laughed. "You're soaked."

"So are you."

"Yeah Peter, what happened with this drying instantly idea you had?"

He looked over at us, his hair back to its dry state and his clothes were not covered in a drop of water. All the Lost Boys were instantly dried. "How did you do that?" I asked in shock.

They laughed and Peter walked towards us. "That's because you're not in the sun. Get up!" he ordered.

Ali and I stood up and walked to where the rest of the boys were waiting. The moment we stepped into the patch of sun, my hair became dry again and my clothes looked like they had just gotten out of the dryer. I looked over at Ali in shock and she was staring down at herself. Peter laughed. "The Neverland sun is really hot. The minute you step into sunlight, you dry."

"Apparently," I said in awe.

"Where can we go now, Peter?!" the Lost Boys cried out.

"We'll go to Mermaid Bay!"

Ali and I cheered along with them this time. We did not have to wear the blindfolds this time as we walked through the woods towards the beach.

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There were about thirty mermaids basking on the rocks in the bay. About thirty more were swimming in the water or lying on the shore. My eyes widened at the sight of them and I felt chills glide along my arms. As we got closer, they noticed our presence and started swimming closer and closer towards us. Ali and I smiled, but stayed close to the rest of the Lost Boys. In the movie, the mermaids did not show much kindness to Wendy. Peter approached them first and was clicking his tongue against his teeth to make a dolphin-like noise. He was talking in Mermish with the mermaids.

"Mermaids don't really get along with girls," Sky whispered to me.

"Why not?" I asked him.

"Well…they feel it unfair that girls get to have legs and they have to have fins. They basically only like each other. They sometimes even have problems with us."

"Well, that's not fair. You've lived here your whole life."

"I know. They just feel that Neverland should belong to them and only them."

Peter walked over and said, "The mermaids say that they will let you walk along the shore; but they do not want you to go into the water.

"Why not?" Ali asked.

Peter shrugged. "It's a mermaid thing. They don't really get along with girls too well. I'm afraid if you go in, you won't come back out."

"Oh."

Ali and I walked along the shore, staring at the mermaids in awe. They were staring back, but not with looks of happiness. They glared at us and we tried to show that we were not afraid of them. Even though they looked and seemed evil, they were still exquisite. "Well, you don't see a mermaid every day of your life," Ali whispered to me.

I laughed and turned around to walk back to the Lost Boys. "Sorry that you couldn't swim," Peter apologized to us.

"It's okay," we said.

"Well, since we didn't stay here as long as I expected, we should go back to the hideout to eat some food."

The Lost Boys groaned. "What about the Fairy Forest?!"

"The Fairy Forest is only fun at night. After we eat, we'll go there; I promise."

So, Peter said 'goodbye' to the mermaids and we walked back into the forest where the Boys put on our blindfolds and led us back to the secret hideout.


	5. The Night of Fairies

The Night of Fairies

As soon as everyone stepped foot into the hideout and the blindfolds were taken off Ali and I, the boys went crazy. Everyone ran towards the kitchen and Peter walked around them shouting orders. The clanging of pots and pans were heard as Ali and I stood laughing at the boys' silliness.

"I guess they _really_ want to have a quick dinner," I said.

"I guess so," said Ali. We walked over to the large table in the middle of the room and sat down in two chairs at the middle of the table. Peter suddenly emerged from the kitchen and gasped at the sight of us. "What?" Ali asked nervously.

Peter walked over and pulled us out of the chairs. "Why would you two get unimportant chairs? You get the head of the table!" He smiled at us.

"No way!" I cried.

"Well, I have to share the end with one of you of course. Since I am the chief," Peter said smugly.

Ali and I grinned at each other. "You can sit on my end, Peter," Ali answered.

Peter looked down on her and smiled. "Thank you, Ali." They stared at each other for a moment as I smiled and rolled my eyes. I cleared my throat and the two took their eyes off of each other. "Well, I better go help the boys with dinner. It'll be ready in five minutes." He walked away, back to the chaotic kitchen.

Ali turned around and smiled at me with a knowing look. "You like Sky," she whispered.

My mouth fell open. "Not as much as you like Peter!"

Ali turned slightly red. "Well, _everyone_ likes Peter."

"Not me!"

Ali's eyes widened. "Really? You don't?!"

"Of course not! How could I ever like a guy that's completely in love with you?"

Ali looked down at her feet with a slight smile. "Do you really think that he likes me?"

"Ali, it's the most obvious thing in the world. He always looks at you, he always takes care of you, and he always smiles at you." I smiled at the look of pure happiness on Ali's face.

"Well, that must mean that Sky _so _likes you. He does all the things that Peter does with me."

"Really?"

"Would I lie to you?" Ali asked with a serious face.

Suddenly, someone touched me from behind on the shoulder. I turned around to see Sky behind me. He was covered in flour and he had batter all over his clothes. His hair flopped over to one side with defeat. "Dinner's ready," he said simply.

I laughed. "Is there any on the plates; it looks like it all got on you."

Sky shook his head. "Ha ha ha…very funny. The kitchen gets a little crazy at dinnertime."

"I can see that."

"Are you going to sit down or what?" Sky said, pointing at my chair.

I laughed and moved towards my chair. Sky walked behind me and pulled it out for me. "Thank you," I said, and sat down in the chair as Sky scooted it under the table for me.

He sat down in the chair perpendicular from mine and smiled. Ali and Peter sat down together at the other end of the table. Peter cried, "Lost Boys, bring in the food!"

All the Lost Boys poured out of the kitchen with a plate in each of their hands. They were all covered in flour also and they looked absolutely exhausted. They came forward quickly and placed the food in random spots on the table. Ali and I looked down at it in absolute shock.

There were some things that I recognized: rolls, mashed potatoes, soup, and fish. There were a lot of things that I did not recognize. There was some kind of meat in the middle of the table. It looked as large as a pig and I secretly hoped that it wasn't. There was a large pitcher of some kind of drink. It sparkled in the light and was pure blue. There was a pasty looking dish that was rainbow colored and then there were square rolls that had the letter "P" inscribed on the tops of them.

The boys immediately moved forward with their plates and grabbed their favorite foods. Ali and I shrugged at each other, but still moved forward and grabbed the things that we knew were good. "Hey, you didn't grab any Beastie meat," said Sky, pointing to my plate.

"Beastie meat? Uhhh…I'm fine."

Sky smiled. "No…no…I insist. Have some." He took the knife and carved a large piece out of the meat. He plopped it down on my plate. "Try some."

"What is this made of?" I asked nervously.

"Beastie."

"What _is_ Beastie?"

"It's a Never animal. They're really big and have large teeth. They live in the caves off of the beach. They're really tasty, so try some."

I sliced a tiny piece with her fork and knife. I put it up to her nose and smelled it. It passed the smell test and I placed it in my mouth and began to chew. "So, do you like it?" Sky asked excitedly.

The meat was very tender and juicy and it filled up my mouth with a delicious taste. I smiled and nodded my head before ravaging the rest of the meat. Sky looked at her in surprise as I finished the slice. "What?" I asked innocently as he stared at me.

"Nothing. Um, is that all you're going to have? You didn't even try Peter's famous sweet rolls or the fairy's milk."

"Fairy's milk?"

Sky smiled and reached for the pitcher full of the sparkling blue drink. It was almost empty and he poured the rest of it into my goblet. "It's the most wonderful drink you will ever have. The fairies only make it for us in special occasions. I guess they heard that you two were here. What are you waiting for?"

I smiled and put the goblet up to my lips. I took a small sip and immediately felt myself get lighter as the drink went down my throat. It was the most refreshing thing I had ever tasted and it had just the right amount of sugar in it. It felt like the sparkles in the drink added a little kick to it and I felt the slight tang in my stomach. "It's amazing," I said quietly.

"I knew you'd like it."

The dinner continued with laughter and stories. Ali and I were entertained the entire time as the Lost Boys told us stories of the crocodile and Captain Hook. I had never laughed as hard in my life as Slightly told me a story about when he was trying to fly and instead fell off a large rock into the ocean. I felt so comfortable in this situation, like the Lost Boys were suddenly my family. I looked over at Ali and saw that she looked just as happy as me.

"Lost Boys, clean up!" cried Peter.

There was a groan and Curly spoke up. "Peter! Can't we clean up after we get back from the Fairy Forest?"

"Yeah, Peter! We swear we'll clean up after!" said Nibs.

"Please, Peter," said the twins at the same time.

I smiled at how adorable they all were and waited for Peter's answer. His arms were crossed, but he had a smile on his face. After thinking for a moment, he uncrossed his arms and sighed. "I guess we could do that." The Lost Boys cheered, but Peter interrupted them. "But if you Lost Boys forget or get too tired, Corie and Ali will never come back."

Ali and I looked at each other nervously. We didn't even know if we ever _were_ going to come back. We were only staying in England for ten days. How were we going to come back here if we were moving from town to town in London?

Suddenly, the Lost Boys came forward and grabbed our arms. They pulled us to the stairs of the hideout and put our blindfolds on. We were going to the Fairy Forest.

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There was a slight wind in the air as we walked through the quiet forest. A quiet murmur of insects was heard as they buzzed in their trees, watching us walk by. The wind crept along my hair and brushed it along my back, but I felt warmer as it passed by me. The Lost Boys were whispering amongst themselves and leading us further into the forest. I could hear the waves crashing onto the beach faraway and felt myself smile slightly as the beautiful sounds of Neverland.

"Okay, we're here," I heard Peter whisper next to me.

Hands reached towards my face and lowered the blindfold off of my eyes. I opened them to see the most beautiful sight in front of me.

We were standing in front of a large clearing in the woods. There were no trees and no sticks or twigs on the ground, just pure grass. The darkness was illuminated by the bright lights of lightning bugs. They filled the entire clearing to make a miniature starry sky in the middle of the forest. I heard Ali gasp next to me and I looked over at her to see she had tears in her eyes. Behind her was a large tree, its roots spreading along the grass. Between the different roots, there were large openings. I could see that there was a glowing light beneath the tree.

"It's the fairy dance," someone whispered behind me.

I turned around and saw Sky smiling at me. "What's the fairy dance?" I asked.

"The King Fairy and the Queen Fairy have a dance every night after their dinner. It's very important to all fairies and each one attends the dance. It's a tradition that is to be followed for the rest of eternity." I smiled. He pointed at the tree. "Want to go see?"

I nodded excitedly and we walked over to where the rest of the Lost Boys were standing. I crouched down to look through the holes of the tree and saw hundreds of fairies standing properly, looking at the center of the room.

A beautiful fairy dressed in a long, pink dress, was dancing with a very, handsome man fairy dressed in formal attire. They were both wearing crowns and were the center of attention. The sound of violins was heard as the music and I felt chills raise the hair on my arms. The king dipped down the queen and they both rose into the air with their wings. I felt Ali nudge me and we both smiled at each other. This was the best moment of our lives.

"Ali!" Peter whispered from behind us.

She instantly moved and walked towards him. They both walked together into the clearing of the forest, where Peter gently grabbed her hand. She smiled up at him and continued to walk forward into the woods. They disappeared from view entirely and I turned back around to watch the dance.

"I want to show you something," Sky whispered to me.

"Right now?"

He nodded and I sighed and stood up. The Lost Boys looked at us, but Sky said, "We'll be right back," and winked. They all smiled knowingly and went back to watching the dance.

We walked into the clearing, me staring at Sky the entire time. "What was that wink for?"

"It was nothing. I wink to them all the time."

I laughed. "Sure you do." He stared at me a moment and I felt a question come to my mind. "What's your happy thought, Sky?"

"Oh, well…it's a bit embarrassing."

"I won't laugh; I swear."

He shuffled his feet. "Well, I guess I could tell you. My happy thought is…uh…my little sister."

I frowned. "Your little sister…but…have you never…"

"Met her? Yes, I have. She's my twin."

"Oh! Well…why isn't she here with you then?"

"She didn't fall out of her pram. I did." He half smiled at himself.

"Oh…I'm sorry, Sky. I'm sure you miss her."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I only got to spend a little time with her, but we instantly became friends when we were born. People say you can't remember things that young, but I do. I remember everything." He looked up at the sky when he said this and I felt my heart tremble for him.

"Have you ever seen her since then?"

"I have never left Neverland. Peter is the only one that does."

"Yikes…that's a long time. How long have you been here?"

"Many years. I haven't counted, but I'm only a little younger than Peter and Peter was the first one to make it to Neverland so that should give you an idea."

"So, you have no idea how old your sister might be right now?"

Sky nodded. "Peter goes to see her for me. He tells me everything. I told him to go see her a little while ago and when he saw her, he said that she was getting older. He said that she was hand-in-hand with a man. I think she is to be married soon."

"So you're not _that_ old then. You're probably in your twenties."

Sky nodded. "It doesn't matter for me. I'm going to be here for the rest of my life and age will never count."

I felt my heart sink at this and I moved more into the clearing. Sky walked up behind me and grabbed my hand. I looked at it quickly and then up at him. "I want to show you something."

"Oh, okay."

He smiled and then suddenly took off into the air. I screamed as my feet left the ground and we rose into the night sky. I put my arms around his shoulders for support and he looked at me with a grin. We rose higher and higher and the wind brushed against my skin. We were above the treetops and I looked down below to see the glowing lights of the fairies and bugs. The moon shone on us brightly and I looked down at the beautiful land of Never.

"Do you like it here?" Sky asked me.

"Of course."

He got closer to me and whispered in my ear. "Then never leave." I looked at him with a surprised face. "Why would you want to go back to school, work, and fights? Here, there is none of that. You don't have to worry about being trapped. In Neverland…you're always free."

"I have my family…my friends…my life back there. How could I forget them?"

"As easily as my family forgot me." His face was tight and I could see that this hurt him to talk about.

"Sky…I'm sure they didn't forget…"

"They did. I asked Peter to go back when I was a young boy and when he went to the window…my whole family was there…laughing. They were playing with my younger sister and eating their dinner at a table with room for three. They didn't even think that I could come back." He had tears in his eyes and he looked down at the ground below us. His voice was quieter when he spoke. "Sometimes I do wish I could get out of here. I wish that my family would know where I was and know that I still think of them everyday. It's not fair to know that they have forgotten. It's not fair that I have to be alone when all of them are together."

"Why can't you leave? Why don't you go back and do all that you wish to do?"

"Because Neverland is my home now. I could never go back, even if I wanted to." We were silent for a moment, and then he looked at me with a smile on his face. "Peter will have to bring you back tomorrow. It's almost time for you to go home." We started to sink down and we were soon beneath the treetops and could no longer see the whole sky. The air got warmer as we sunk down in the forest and our feet touched the soft grass below us.

"Thank you, Sky. That was beautiful."

He smiled and he tossed his shaggy hair back. "I promise that we'll do that again someday."

"You do?"

"I do."

We smiled at each other, but then heard footsteps moving toward us. We both looked over to see Ali and Peter stepping into the clearing with smiles on their faces. Ali and I briefly smiled at each other before Peter started to talk. "It's time for them to go home. Get the Lost Boys over here and we'll say our goodbyes." Sky stood in his spot, his limbs tightened, like he was waiting for something. Peter looked at him confused. "What's the matter?"

"Will they ever come back?" Sky asked quietly.

Peter looked at him with surprise, then at me, then back at Sky. "Of course. Of course they will come back."

Sky smiled and Ali and I looked nervously at each other. He walked away towards the Lost Boys and Ali turned to Peter. "Peter…I don't know if…" She looked at me with sad eyes and I moved towards them.

"What she's trying to say is, Peter, we may not be able to come back."

He looked down at Ali, but she was staring down at her feet. "What do you mean?"

"It's just that…we're moving…a lot…and I'm sure our friends are going to get up at least once in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or something."

"Can't you make your pillows look like yourselves?"

"Well, I guess we could do that. But that still doesn't solve the problem of moving from place to place."

"What do you mean by that?"

Ali answered, "For the trip, we move from town to town to sing different concerts at different churches. We don't just stay in one spot at London. We move a lot. How are you going to know where we are?"

Peter smiled. "That's what you're all worried about? Don't worry. I know where you'll be."

"How?!" Ali asked.

"Trust me. I'll know."

The Lost Boys stepped into the clearing with sad looks on their faces. I moved towards Tootles. "What's the matter?"

"You're leaving. You were only here for a little bit and now you're leaving."

I looked up at Sky and saw that he was slightly smiling. I looked back down at Tootles with a kind smile. "We're coming back tomorrow, Tootles. Don't you worry."

All the Lost Boys looked up at me with curious looks now on their faces. "You are?" Slightly asked.

"If it's alright with Peter." I looked back at him and Peter smiled.

All the boys ran towards Ali and me and tackled us to the ground. We laughed as they cheered with joy. They finally got off of us and I brushed the soil off of my pajamas. Peter walked towards us with his hands clenched together. "I'm not going with you this time. I need some sleep."

"We don't know the way back!" Ali cried.

Peter smiled. "Don't worry. I've got a guide for you."

Out of nowhere, a bright light zoomed through the clearing right at us. Sparkles danced around it and it flew around out heads like crazy. "Tinkerbell!" cried the boys.

Ali and I gasped and watched the fairy land on Peter's shoulders. We could barely make out her face, but she was very beautiful. Her curly, blonde hair was wrapped up into a bun and she was wearing a sparkling, green dress with matching slippers. She smiled at us and Peter laughed at our look of shock.

"This is Tinkerbell," he said simply, pointing at his shoulder.

She smiled and slightly curtsied before flying back over to our heads and hovered in the air.

"Lost Boys, say your goodbyes!"

The Lost Boys moved forward and all gave Ali and me hugs. The ones with hats took them off before they came toward us and I found that really adorable. They told us to come back tomorrow as soon as possible and said that they had the greatest time with us. They stepped to the side after they had all said goodbye.

The last one in line was Sky and he moved forward, smiling at me all the while. Ali walked over to Peter and I saw her jump into his arms. Sky walked in front of me. I looked up at him with a slight smile on my face. He reached down and put his arms around my waist. I jumped up to put my arms around his neck and he laughed. He gently lifted me up and I kicked my legs into the air. "I'll see you soon," he whispered into my ear before gently putting me down.

I smiled at him and watched him walk back to where the rest of the Lost Boys were standing.

"The boys want to give you something for you to remember them by this night," said Peter. He walked forward, holding his one clenched hand out to me. I laughed and held my hand out. "Put this under your pillow tonight and you will have dreams of Neverland." He dropped the object and I held it up to my face to see what it was.

It was a simple flower petal. It was smooth and shone in the darkness. The pink of it make my hand the shade of it and I smiled at how simple and beautiful it was. I put it up to my nose and smelled it. It smelled so fresh and new, like it had been taken off a rose. I looked up at the Lost Boys and smiled my thanks to them. They all nodded their heads with glee. I gently put the petal into my pocket and let my fingers play with the smooth texture of it.

Peter then walked towards Ali. "Savor this, for I know how much you liked it. We saved some from dinner for you." He opened his hand and dropped a small canteen into Ali's hand.

She laughed and held it up for everyone to see. "It's fairy milk!" Everyone laughed and I moved forward.

"You have to share some of that with me."

She put it to her chest. "No way!" We both laughed as Ali put it into her pocket.

We all stood in silence for a moment and looked at each other. Everyone was smiling, but I could tell that us leaving was not a happy thing.

It seemed unreal to be standing in the Fairy Forest of Neverland. The bugs still flew around our heads and I could tell that Tinkerbell was getting impatient. Peter finally spoke. "We should really get you guys moving. You need some sleep before it turns into day for you."

"You're right," Ali said.

Tinkerbell flew toward us and hovered over our heads. She shook her body and we watched the fairy sparkles fall onto our hair. We laughed with excitement and Tink flew into the sky.

"Think of your happy thought," Peter said quietly.

I thought of the day we were going to have in England and how Ali and I would reflect on what a wonderful time we had this day. I felt myself rise into the air and saw that Ali was right next to me. We both smiled at each other and looked down at everyone below.

As we got higher and higher, the boys started to wave. They were all smiling now, laughing at how silly we looked in our pajamas flying back to our home. I looked down to see Peter staring at Ali, and then I looked for Sky.

He stood out the most as he towered over the rest of the boys. His blonde hair blew in the wind and I could still see him looking right at me. His eyes were focused right on me and he looked happy, but disappointed. I raised my hand and waved it right at him. He smiled and started to wave his hand more extremely. I felt my heart skip a beat as I got one last glimpse of him. Soon, we were above the treetops, and the boys disappeared before the lights of the lightning bugs.

I turned around and looked up to see Tink way ahead of us, illuminating our path with her light. I looked at Ali to see that she was smiling to herself. There was nothing to say to one another. We had just shared something so amazing. Her eyes were glazed over and I could tell that she was thinking of Peter. How quickly they had fallen for one another.

An image of Sky popped into my head and I instantly smiled to myself. Tomorrow suddenly felt so far away.

Neverland got smaller and smaller and soon it was just a small speck as we got higher into the sky. We looked down on the large island and saw the spots that we had visited that day. Mermaids' Bay was just a tiny dot from where we were, but we could still make out the shapes of the different mermaids resting on their rocks. The black sails of Hook's ship waved against the breeze and gave an eerie feel. Soon, Neverland was out of sight, and we were flying over the large ocean.

"Is this a dream?" Ali suddenly whispered.

I looked over at her and saw that she had tears in eyes. "For once, I really don't think that this is."

She smiled and she spread her arms out to her side. She screamed as loud as she could and I stared to laugh. I did the same as her and let the wind carry me wherever it wanted to. I screamed at the top of my lungs, "Goodnight Neverland!"

Ali laughed and I flew towards her. I grabbed her hand and I soared as fast as I could towards Tink. The stars flew past us and we were now moving towards the colorful planets.

_"Goodnight, Sky."_

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Tink had shown us right to our window and immediately left right after dropping us off. Ali and I stepped over the railing of our balcony and walked to the window. We smiled at each other before stepping inside and shutting the window.

Elaine and Lisa were still dead asleep and looked like they hadn't moved at all. We stifled our laughter as we moved back to our beds. We both slid under the covers and sighed with exhaustion as our heads hit the pillow. "What time is it?" I asked Ali.

She leaned over and looked at the clock. "Five thirty. We're getting up in three hours."

We both groaned, but instantly laughed afterwards. I whispered, "That was the best day of my life."

"Mine too."

We both became silent and got situated under the blankets. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the flower petal. I gently slid it under the pillow and kept my hand there. My eyes started to close and sleep took over me. I dreamt of Neverland the whole three hours.

_Please review guys! Tell me how you like it. Hope you enjoy the next chapter!_


	6. A Surprise Visit

_Keep reviewing guys! It makes me even more excited to continue…I hope you guys all like it. This chapter is going to have some surprises in it…so be prepared!_

A Surprise Visit

The alarm clock woke me up right away and I felt my heart jolt. Then, I heard the groans of all my friends waking up and reaching over to turn off the heart-stopping noise. I turned to Ali and saw her slowly open her eyes. She looked at me and immediately smiled. I smiled back and reached under my pillow to feel the thing that would prove that what had happened was not a dream. I touched the delicate petal and smiled to myself. _"It was not a dream." _I looked at Ali again and she nodded at me.

"I definitely need more sleep," Lisa groaned, stretching her arms up over her head.

Ali and I looked at each other with tired eyes, but still smiled. I sunk down again under the covers and closed my eyes. _"I need more sleep, too." _My head was rested against my soft pillow and I felt myself starting to drift to sleep. Suddenly, my body was exposed to the cool air as Lisa ripped the covers off of us. "What are you doing?!" I cried.

Lisa laughed and jumped on top of Ali and me. We both groaned as she lay in the spot between us. She looked at us with a huge grin. "How did two sleep?"

_"Not well." _"Pretty good," I said aloud.

"Fine," Ali answered.

"That's cool. I slept like a baby."

"Me too," Elaine said, still lying on the other bed.

Lisa looked over at her. "Elaine! Come over here and join us!"

Elaine heaved herself off the bed and plopped down near our legs. She smiled. "This is only our second day in England. You guys excited for the concert?"

"Heck yes!" we all said.

Elaine laughed and rested her head down on my shins. She slowly lifted her head and looked at my feet. "God, Corie, what the hell is all over your feet?"

"What do you mean?"

"There's like dirt and grass on the bottom of your feet." My heart stopped. She then started to look up my legs. "What's all over you? You're covered in dirt!"

I looked down on myself and saw that she was right. I cursed myself for not washing myself off before getting into bed. My whole body was covered in dirt and I could feet sweat on my back and neck. Ali looked over at me and I finally realized that she too was covered in just as much dirt and grime. I bit my lip and she looked nervously at me.

"Ali, you're covered in dirt, too! What happened to you two?" Lisa asked.

We were silent. There was no excuse for this. How could we get out of this one?

Someone rapped on the door loudly. We all jumped at the sound and Elaine ran to the door. "Girls…girls…you all up? Start getting ready!" Dr. Brady was at the door, yelling at us.

Elaine opened the door. "Yes, we're all awake."

"Well, get your showers and get changed. We're leaving in an hour."

"Okay, thanks!" Elaine closed the door.

I sprang up from the bed and ran towards the bathroom. "I get first shower!"

"I get second!" Ali screamed right after me.

"I get third!" Lisa and Elaine shouted in unison. "No way!" they cried again.

I laughed and locked the door. I quickly took off my dirty, sweaty clothes and threw them on the bathroom tiles. The shower curtain was slightly open and I stepped inside to turn the water on. The spray of the cold water hit my feet and I gasped at the briskness of it. It soon got warm and I stepped into the hot shower. The dirt left my body and the water around my feet turned brown as it traveled all the way down the drain.

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"Ali! Come on!" Lisa cried, holding our heavy door open.

Elaine and I stood out in the middle of the hallway, waiting for Ali to get out of the bathroom. Kids from all the rooms next to us were passing by, dressed in nice clothes for the concert. A few of our friends stood with us, talking excitedly about the concert. "I hope there's some hotties there; I didn't see any last night," our friend, Mary said.

I laughed and thought about the cute guys I had met last night. Sky and Peter…and the Lost Boys of course.

"Sorry guys, I'm ready!" Ali said, running out of the room.

"Finally," Lisa said. She closed the door and we started walking quickly down the hallway.

Elaine linked arms with me. "So, what are we doing after the concert? Lunch…shopping?"

"Sounds good!" We continued to talk as we got in the elevators down to the lobby.

"Come on, girls! We're getting on the bus!" cried a random counselor standing in the lobby. She waved us towards her and we all followed her on the crowded bus standing outside the hotel doors.

Elaine, Ali, and I sat by each other and Lisa sat in the seat next to us with two other people.

The bus soon filled up with the rest of our choir and we all sat, waiting for Dr. Brady to come on to count us. He ran up the steps of the bus, his eyes scanning all around us. "All right, we're all here. Now, be really loud at the concert, okay? We need to hear the altos more than anything today. Good luck!" He ran down the steps and I watched him get on the bus in front of us.

The doors closed and the bus started to move. We were on our way to our first concert in London.

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The church was beautiful and was towering above us as we looked up at it in awe. I pulled out my camera and turned it on. "Okay guys, picture!" I asked a random person walking by to take the picture and all the altos got together for a picture in front of the doors of the church. We all smiled and watched the flash of the camera go off.

"There you go," said the woman in a crisp British accent, handing me the camera.

"Thank you." I took it and looked at the cute picture. We all looked so happy and I felt my heart get warmer. "That's cute," I said quietly.

Everyone murmured in agreement and I turned my camera off. I held it in my hand just in case there was still more opportunities for pictures. We all walked through the doors and saw a beautiful sight in front of us.

The ceiling raised before us, covered in paintings and sculptures of angels and heavenly creatures. The pews spread out a couple hundred feet in front of us and the alter was decorated in white linen and cloths. A small set of bleachers was set up in the middle of the alter and looked very small compared to the rest of the church. The stained glass windows let the sun peek shyly towards us and a ray of rainbow colors fell upon us. We immediately began to whisper, not because it was a church, but because we felt the need to be quiet in such a large, vast place.

Dr. Brady motioned us to follow him. Soon, all choirs were walking down the aisle towards the bleachers and we walked by the many pews beside us. I still whispered among my friends, but I also looked up the walls in awe. I turned my camera on again and began snapping some more pictures.

Our director stopped and pointed to some pews in the front. There was a sign that read "Reserved for Green Valley Choir." Our choir stepped in as the other choir walked up to the bleachers. Dr. Brady leaned towards us. "There's still a half hour until the concert. Once everyone is here, Concert Choir is going to go. Then it's you guys!" He smiled at us before standing up and walking towards the alter.

Ali turned towards me. "I can't get it off my mind."

"Get what?"

Her eyes widened. "Neverland of course!" she said in a whisper.

I smiled. "Me neither."

"It doesn't feel real. I can't believe we were actually there!"

"I know. I thought it was all a dream, but then I found the petal under my pillow."

Ali smiled. "Look what I still have!" She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the small flask of fairy milk.

I pulled her hand down. "Don't let everyone see it! They'll get suspicious."

She laughed and took the cap off. "Do you want some?"

I looked around. Everyone was either whispering among each other or taking a small nap on each others' shoulders. I turned back towards Ali and smiled. "Okay, I'll have a little bit."

She took a small swig for herself and her eyes literally sparkled as the drink went down her throat. "Whoa!" I exclaimed looking at her.

"What?"

"Your eyes!"

"What about them?"

"They…sparkled…literally…when you drank the milk."

"Nuh uh!"

"I'm not lying!"

"You do it!" She handed me the drink.

I looked down at it but put it up to my lips and took a small sip. The liquid reached each of my nerves and I savored each and every bit of sweetness on my tongue. Ali gasped. "Whoa, you're right. That's so cool!"

For the next half hour, our whole girls' choir whispered with each other excitedly. During the wait, people started coming through the front doors to sit down in the pews behind us. I felt my heart rate quicken knowing that this concert was going to be really exciting. Within fifteen minutes, the church was filled up with plenty of people, most of them being older. There was a murmur of talk through the church as we waited for Dr. Brady to stand on his podium.

Our accompanist came from his seat and sat down at the piano. Dr. Brady stood up too and pointed towards the bleachers and each and every kid stood up from their spot. He smiled and went to his spot on the podium. He bowed down towards the audience and everyone gave him a polite round of applause. Slowly, he turned towards the choir and raised his arms and the song started.

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The audience was still clapping for the last song of the Concert Choir. They all filed down in rows towards the pews and sat in their assigned seats. They were all smiling from their wonderful performance and I clapped along with everybody else.

Dr. Brady looked at us and we all stood up immediately. I looked at Ali with a smile as we left our pews and walked up towards the bleachers. I walked right up to the third row next to Elaine. She smiled at me and inched closer to her section as I stayed with the altos.

Our first song was a slow, beautiful gospel song. We followed the signals of our director and tried to look very professional. I let my eyes wander around the church to look at every person's reaction to the song. Most of the people were either smiling or had tears in their eyes.

I looked near the back of the church for a second and saw a boy leaning against the door. I immediately stopped singing from the shock and closed my eyes to make my vision less blurry. I glanced again at the door, but now he was not standing there. _"I must have imagined it_," I thought to myself. Dr. Brady was looking at me with a glare and motioned me to look at him. I continued to sing and looked directly at him the rest of our four songs.

After we were finished, Dr. Brady bowed in front of us and the audience gave one last round of applause. We all smiled sweetly until he told us to get off the bleachers. I immediately ran towards Ali as she walked down the aisle.

"Ali!" She turned around.

"Yeah?"

I ran up to her and started to whisper. "Did you see that?"

"See what?"

"That boy near the door during our first song. Tell me you saw it."

"No, I didn't. Why…who was it?"

I hesitated and made sure no one was listening. "It looked just like Peter."

Ali's eyes widened for a moment, but then she smiled. "No, I'm sure it wasn't. It was probably someone that just looked like him," she explained, shaking her head.

I thought a moment. "You're probably right. Why would Peter-?"

"Ali…Corie!" a voice shouted from behind us at the door of the church. We both turned around and gasped.

Peter was leaning his head in, beaming at us. "What are you _doing _here?! Someone could see you!" Ali said, coming towards him.

He stood up properly and looked down at her. "That wasn't the greeting I wanted from you," he said gently.

Ali immediately smiled and looked down at her feet. Peter put his hand under her chin and lifted her head up to look at him. They shared such an intimate moment that I felt awkward watching the two of them. I looked away, but saw Peter pick up Ali out of the corner of my eye. They hugged for a moment before Peter put her back down on the floor. Ali's face was still red when she looked over at me. I smiled at her and turned towards Peter. "No…really…what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you two perform. You did really well."

I said, pointing at Ali, "I told you I saw him. It was during our first song, wasn't it?"

He nodded with a smile. "I knew that Ali would be in the front row because of how short she is."

She gasped and turned towards him. "Hey! That's mean." She playfully nudged his arm and they continued to poke each other.

I shook my head. "You really shouldn't stay long. People are gonna be suspicious of you."

He stood up straight. "Then come with me."

We hesitated. I looked at Ali and saw that she was biting her lip nervously. "Peter," she said, touching his arm, "I don't know if we can go right now. We're supposed to go shopping right after this and then our director's gonna check if we're here for dinner."

"So…what? You're only going to come nights? That doesn't seem enough."

"I know. But I think that's the only time that we can come."

"Hey guys! Who's this?"

We all jumped and looked behind us in the aisle to see Elaine and Lisa standing there. They were looking at Peter strangely, eyeing at his strange clothing.

Ali and I looked at each other and began talking at the same time.

"This is John," I said.

"This is Patrick," Ali said. Elaine and Lisa frowned and Ali and I glanced at each other. "This is Patrick," Ali said again. "Corie always mixes up his name."

"Yeahhhh…"

Our friends looked at him again and introduced themselves. They stood there, still eyeing him and I could tell they wanted to ask about his outfit. "I'm not saying this to be rude," Elaine finally said, "but why are you dressed like this?"

Peter opened his mouth to speak, but Ali and I cried out.

"Costume party!" I said.

"His job!"

We glanced at each other again. "Costume party," I confirmed. I looked at Peter. "Isn't that right…Patrick?" He nodded and I smiled. "We met him just now. Came for the concert with his grandmother." I heard Ali stifle a laugh. "He's about to leave though so we're saying our goodbyes." I grabbed him by the shoulders and Ali and I started to bring him outside, but Elaine and Ali interrupted.

"Well, why doesn't he come shopping with us?" They smiled at him and he looked over at us with true fear in his eyes.

"That's not a good idea. He never shops…he gets scared easily," Ali answered for him.

"Scared of shopping?" Lisa asked laughing, throwing her hands in the air. "Who's scared of shopping?"

"He is! So, we'll just meet you guys in five minutes, okay?" I cried, pushing him out into the sun.

The sidewalks were full of people and passerby's were staring and laughing at the clothes Peter was in. One woman came very close to him and laughed right in his face. Peter cried at her, "Yeah, well at least I'm never going to grow up and look as old as you!" The woman immediately stopped laughing and kept on walking.

Ali grabbed his arm. "They're just weirded out by your clothes. So were our friends…don't let it upset you."

He sighed and smiled at her. "I never liked grownups."

Ali and I laughed.

"Peter, you should really go now. Our friends are waiting for us," I said nicely.

"But when are you going to come?" he asked desperately, looking right at Ali.

She grabbed his hands. "I told you; we're going to come tonight. Don't worry."

He smiled and took one of her hands and kissed the top of it. She turned red as he ran down the right side of the building. He waved to both of us, looked around him to see if anyone was looking, and then took off into the air. We both craned our heads up to see him reach the top of a tree. Suddenly, I remembered something and felt the need to ask it.

"Peter!" I cried, running towards the tree. Ali followed me confused and Peter descended slowly to the ground where we were standing.

"What's wrong?"

I took a deep breath. "Tell Sky that I'm truly sorry we couldn't come sooner…and that he couldn't see us perform." I looked down at my feet after, but saw Peter and Ali smile at each other.

"Sure, I'll tell him." He looked once more around him and then flew up high above the tree and into some low clouds.

Ali turned towards me with a knowing smile. I turned away and started to walk back towards the church. "Don't give me that look; it's not like you and Peter aren't obviously in love with each other."

"Don't deny that you're in love with Sky. I saw how shy you were when you asked Peter to give him your message."

I smiled. "I just feel bad that we don't get to see them any sooner than night." I spun towards her. "Do you realize how tired we're gonna be this entire trip?"

I saw her think for a moment and then she groaned. "Oh God, I didn't even think about that. We're not gonna be energetic at all."

"Yeah…I guess it's worth it. Being in Neverland isn't exactly a bore."  
She laughed. "Yeah, you're right."

We made it to the front doors of the church and came upon Elaine and Lisa waiting right in the door frame.

"You guys ready?" they both asked.

"Yeah…let's go!"

And the four of us walked out onto the sidewalk, ready to explore the streets of London a little bit more.

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It was ten at night and all the choir kids had just finished dinner in the restaurant at the hotel. Ali and I had been whispering about Neverland all day, even during shopping. Soon, the four of us were in our room, laying on our beds and talking.

"I still can't believe we're here," Elaine sighed to herself.

"I know! It's amazing!" I flipped over on my stomach to look at Elaine and Lisa on the opposite bed.

They smiled at me and we continued to talk. The night got longer and longer as we all laughed, took pictures, and told stories. Eventually, we were really hyper and started to laugh and talk really loud. During one of Ali's really funny story, there was a loud knock on the door.

We silenced immediately and sat up to stare at the door. "Maybe they'll go away," I whispered. We waited again in silence, but the person banged on the door some more. I laughed, "Uh oh…they're pissed!"

We all laughed quietly and Ali got up to go to the door. She looked through the peephole to see who was there. She turned to us excitedly, her eyes wide with surprise. "It's Aaron!" she hissed.

"What?!" we all hissed back.

She nodded. "He's alone and looking….goooooddd!"

Aaron was one of the best-looking guys in our choir and every girl had a crush on him. He was a fabulous singer and won the heart of every person in the audience when he opened his mouth.

We all laughed again and ran towards the door to see if she was lying. I was the closest towards the door and looked through the peephole myself.

There he was, Aaron, standing outside in the hall, with a smile on his face. I gasped and turned toward my friends. "It really _is_ Aaron!"

"Are you serious?" Elaine and Lisa cried.

"I told you guys!" Ali whispered.

"What is he doing here?" I said, looking through the peephole again.

"Answer it! Don't let him stand out there all day!"

"Okay…okay…everyone back off a little bit!" We all giggled and moved away from the door a little bit to look natural. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Aaron stood back and smiled warmly. "Hey, Corie. Just the girl I wanted to talk to."

My heart skipped a beat. "Really? What's up?"

I heard my friends giggle behind me. He eyed them for a moment, but then reached into his back pocket. "I have something for you." He flipped his shaggy, brown hair back as he put his hand behind his back. I quickly looked at my friends, my eyes wide with surprise. They stared at me with envy and I turned back around to look at Aaron. He found what he was looking for. "Ah, here you go!" He handed me a brown letter.

I looked at him with a smile. "Is this from you?"

"No, it's from Dr. Brady." My heart sunk and I felt my friends start snickering. He ran his hand through his hair. "I think he wants an answer by tomorrow so you might want to read it before going to bed."

"Oh, thanks Aaron," I said disappointed.

"No problem." He turned around and walked back down the hall way and I closed the door with a sigh.

Immediately, my friends began to laugh. "You _so_ thought it was for you!"

"Yeah, you tried being all seductive!"

I laughed, but tried to fake a frown. "Shut up, guys! I hate you!"

They continued to laugh and I went over to one of the coffee tables to read the letter. I ripped the tape off and read:

_Dear Corie,_

_I am looking for someone to sing the solo in the concert tomorrow night. I think that you would be great for the part, so please consider this tonight and give me an answer by tomorrow morning. _

_Sincerely, Dr. Brady_

I lay the letter down and went to the bed to lie down again. They came over and joined me. "What did it say?" Lisa asked.

"Dr. Brady wants me to sing the solo tomorrow night."

My friends smiled. "That's great! Are you going to do it?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I get nervous easily. I'm afraid I'll make a fool of myself."

"Oh, Corie, you'll be great and you know it! Just do it!" Ali exclaimed gently punching my shoulder.

I smiled. "I guess I could do it. I did that duet with my sister."

"Yeah, you'll do fine," Elaine said.

I sighed and looked at the clock. It was almost 11:30. "Whoa, you guys, we better go to sleep." I looked over at Ali, biting my lip, and she raised her eyebrows when she saw the time.

"Yeah, want to get plenty of sleep," she said sheepishly.

We all agreed and went to the bathroom in line to get ready for bed. As I went into the bathroom, I brought a junky t-shirt and jeans to put under my bath robe. I brushed my teeth, put my hair into a ponytail, and washed my face. As I got out of the bathroom, I saw Ali sneaking a change of clothes with her into the bathroom. I winked at her and she smiled as she shut the door.

Elaine and Lisa lay in their bed and I smiled at how quickly they could fall asleep. I sat on my bed and grabbed the alarm clock to set a timer. I placed the clock back on the night table and got under the covers. The sweet chill of the blankets gave me the shivers and I rested my head on the pillow.

_"Only a little while until I see Sky again. I can't wait!"_

My mind wandered to Neverland and my eyes gently closed as I dreamt of the wonderful moments that would soon happen.


	7. A New Set of Friends in Neverland

A New Set of Friends in Neverland

"Ali…Corie!" a voice was whispering right next to my ear.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw that Peter was standing right beside us, smiling excitedly. I started to yawn and he frowned. "Don't tell me that you're tired?"

"Well, what can you expect? We've only gotten six hours of sleep in the past two days, "Ali whispered, sitting up to get a good luck at Peter.

He smiled at her and looked down at our clothes. "Wow, you two are actually prepared this time. That will be great for what we're doing today."

"What are we doing today?" I asked, kicking the blankets off of myself.

All Peter did was smile. He ran towards the window. "Come on! Don't you want to have more time there today?"

"Hold on! I'm putting on some sneakers," Ali said.

I looked over at Elaine and Lisa as I walked over to the window. They were both facing the opposite direction towards the wall. I smiled and stood next to Peter. Ali soon joined us. "You ready?"

"Yep!" we both answered.

Peter stepped out onto the balcony and flew up into the air.

Ali and I looked at each other nervously. "I hope that I can do this again," I said.

"Just think of your happy thought…I guess."

We both closed our eyes and the minute I thought of my choir, I felt myself rise into the air. "Whoa!" I cried.

"That was easy!" Ali said, floating beside me.

"That's because it gets easier each time you do it," Peter said from behind Ali.

Ali jumped around. "Oh my gosh, you scared me!"

He laughed and pointed up at the sky. "Come on; let's go to Neverland!"

He flew in front of us and we followed right after him, soaring into the starry night sky.

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We soon were at Neverland and were just landing in the Fairy Forest when the Lost Boys rushed up to us, doing their tribal noises. Ali and I laughed and as soon as we touched the ground, the boys rushed up and tackled us.

"Watch it!" I heard Ali cry, as I was pushed down by their bodies.

I laughed with them and they helped me up, talking very quickly.

"Today's going to be so much fun!"

"You have no idea what we're going to do, because Peter won't let us tell you."

"But we're leaving soon, and you're going to love it so much. I swear it!"

I was looking over their heads at a laughing Sky, who was standing by himself behind the large pack. I gave a smile to all the young boys and pushed through them to get to Sky. "They get _way _too excited about things."

"Well, that's how excited I get when I come here," I said, smiling up at him.

He smiled back and said, "How are you?"

"I'm fine," I answered back softly.

He smiled and suddenly reached down to give me a hug. His embrace was long and warm and he parted with me after a couple seconds. We looked at each other for a minute, until Slightly ran up behind us and interrupted.

"You can't have her all to yourself you know!" He grabbed my hand and started to pull me towards the rest of the boys.

I laughed and looked back at Sky. He was smiling and shaking his head, but he followed us anyway. I looked over and saw that Ali and Peter were walking away from us, out of the forest.

I pointed to them. "Are we following them?"

"Yes!" Tootles cried. "This is where we're taking you today!" The boys still clinging to me, we started following the two.

"You're going to love it," Nibbs said.

"It's so much fun!" the twins cried out.

Sky walked up next to me. "Is it as fun as they say?" I asked him with a grin.

He nodded. "I've loved it since I was their age. It's our home away from home."

"Gosh, you guys are getting me excited. Tell me where we're going!"

"No!" they all screamed together. We all laughed and continued to walk through the woods.

"Corie," Sky said quietly. I looked over at him. "I wish I could have gone to your concert. I know how much it means to you."

"No, don't even worry about it. I know you've never left Neverland; it would be weird."

"Yeah, I reckon that's why." His stare was dreamy and it looked like he was thinking. "I always try to remember what the real world is like."

"Nothing like this," I said, pointing out the woods that were surrounding us.

Sky laughed, but then suddenly turned serious. He turned towards me. "Is there any beauty still left in the real world?"

"Of course! I mean…I didn't mean to make it sound like our world is hell on earth. It's nothing compared to all of this beauty…but…" I smiled. "There still is a whole lot to look at."

He smiled. "You make things sound so much nicer than they really are."

I felt my heart flutter and I wanted to hug him for saying that. All I did was sheepishly grin and ask, "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean…when you get excited about something, your eyes light up and you start talking all excitedly towards me."

I laughed. "Yikes! Tell me next time and maybe I'll stop."

"No…I like it when you do that." He gently smiled at me and my heart once again did a flip.

"We're almost there, Corie!" Curly called in front.

I turned my head from Sky and looked ahead. We were coming to a darker part of the woods. Trees and bushes seemed to be more bunched together and the light from the sky above seemed to disappear. The whole group, Peter and Ali in front, stepped over what seemed like a line from light to darkness.

As the group got closer together, someone stepped on a branch and the crack of it echoed throughout the woods. I gasped and grabbed Sky's arm out of reflex. He first looked down at my hand and then at me.

I instantly let go and mumbled, "Sorry."

He laughed quietly. "It's okay," he whispered.

We kept on walking and I noticed that we were coming upon a tall, wooden gate. It stood looming in the middle of the woods and I noticed that smoke was rising into the sky from behind it. There were watch towers at the top of it and I saw two men standing inside one, looking down at us.

"Where are we?" I asked Sky.

He bent down towards me. "Don't worry. They're our friends. They just have heavy security for Hook and his men."

I nodded and the group walked even further up. Peter was in front and he ran towards the gate to look up at the men at the top. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "It's Peter and Lost Boys! We brought friends with us, but they mean no harm. Can we come in?"

The blurred shape of the men looked at each other and seemed to be whispering to one another. One of them moved forward and pulled a crank that was resting against the watch tower. With a loud groan, the gate's door slowly creaked open and I got a view of what was laying inside.

We were at the Indians' camp. Teepees were dispersed throughout the flat land, with smoke rising out the top of each one. Small children were running around, playing with their tribal objects and the parents were watching them with smiles on their faces. Each person had a design of paint on their faces and had their hair tied up in braids. In the center of the camp was a wide hole filled with sticks and logs, no doubt the place for their tribal fires.

My heart leapt with excitement and I looked over at Ali. She saw me turn my head and she looked at me with just as much excitement.

Peter smiled up at the men and we followed him inside the camp.

The moment we stepped inside, everyone looked over at us. Some seemed to be staring just at me and Ali, which made me slightly nervous. Some were smiling and greeting Peter with loud hand gestures. A large man, with the biggest headdress of all came over and gave Peter a big hug.

"That's the chief," Sky said in my ear.

"I should have guessed that. He's amazing!"

Peter was now introducing Ali to the chief. He smiled at her, before giving her a large hug too. She hesitantly patted him on the back and Peter silently laughed at her.

Sky continued to talk. "He's very friendly. He and Peter go way back, before Tigerlily was born."

My heart stopped and I turned towards Sky. "Tigerlily?! Is she here? I have to meet her!"

Sky stared at me. "How do you know about Tigerlily?"

I had almost forgotten Ali and I had never explained how we knew of Neverland before we came. I sighed. "Never mind. I'll explain later."

The Lost Boys stood before the chief and at the same time crossed their arms and bent their heads down in a sharp greeting. The chief and the people surrounding him smiled and did the same back. Now it was my turn to meet him.

Sky gently pushed me forwards, his hand resting against my back. "Don't say anything rude. Just be yourself," he whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

I stepped in front of the tall man. Now that I was closer, I could see his design perfectly on his face. A drawing of an eagle was painted on each cheek, both being the color red. He looked down at me, waiting for me to speak. I felt my heart beating quickly. "Uh…hello…I'm Corie." I held out my hand, waiting for him to shake it.

He started to laugh and I could see his whole bare belly bouncing up and down. The other Indians around him started to laugh too. My face turned red and I let my hand fall down at my side. The chief stepped forward and said in a thick accent, "We do no handshakes here, friend." He crossed his arms and bent his head down as the Lost Boys had done.

I followed suit and did as he had done. I looked up at him and he gave me a wide smile. "I am Flies With Eagles." He held his hands up. "Welcome to our camp."

I smiled and the Lost Boys started to make their tribal noises again. They raced along the camp, looking for their friends. Peter and Sky followed the chief into one of the teepees. Ali and I started to follow, but Sky stopped us. "We'll be out in a few minutes. The chief wants to talk to us for a minute." We nodded and watched them walk through the flaps of the teepee and disappear.

"This is amazing," Ali said, looking around at the camp.

"I know! I had no idea where they were going to take us."

"Yeah…OH! Did you hear? Tigerlily is here somewhere!" Ali cried, her eyes brightening.

"Yeah, Sky told me that Peter has known her before she was born. They're supposedly really close."

I saw a slight tension in Ali's mouth when I had said that. She turned away and started to trail her feet along. "Really? That's interesting."

I heard the hesitation in her voice and I walked after her. "Ali, you _really _don't think that Peter and Tigerlily would ever get together, do you?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Why wouldn't they? There's nobody else for him to be with in Neverland."

"Hmmm…I don't know…but it seems that Peter has been bringing you to Neverland quite a lot. Doesn't that show that he probably has feelings for you?"

She sighed and started to smile. "I just want to see how pretty she is."

I smiled back. "I bet you're ten times prettier than she is."

Suddenly, the flaps of the teepee opened and the chief emerged first, followed by Peter and Sky. They walked towards us. "Sorry about that; the chief was just talking about Hook with us," Peter explained.

I noticed that Sky was uncomfortably looking down at his feet and avoiding eye contact with anyone. I tried to get his attention, but he continued to look down.

Ali asked, "What's wrong? Does Hook try to come into their camp a lot?"

Peter nodded and we started to walk around the camp. "He comes for one specific person."

"The chief?" I asked.

Peter shook his head. "Tigerlily." Ali and I glanced at each other, but Peter began to speak more. "I don't know _how _many times I've had to save her life, but she's very unsafe. Hook knows that if he kidnaps Tigerlily, the chief will either send out the most powerful of the men in the camp, or he will send himself."

"Where is she now?" Ali asked.

"In her teepee. The chief is very superstitious and thinks it's dangerous to let her out in the morning."

"How is that more dangerous than night?"

"Because Hook and his men only attack during the day," Sky answered. We looked over at him. "At night, everyone is together, surrounded around the fire. Hook knows it would be too foolish to attack when there is a large group of armed men. But during the day, everyone goes around doing whatever they do best throughout the morning and afternoon. That's when Hook would kidnap Tigerlily and that's why the chief keeps her hidden during the day."

There was a moment of silence as we all watched the Lost Boys running around with the young children of the camp. Women were walking around, either doing their chores or making some food. Some were washing their hair in a well-like basin full of water.

Ali looked up at Peter. "Are you and Tigerlily close friends?"

Peter bit his lip and shuffled his feet. "You could say that." Ali slightly frowned, but Peter smiled and looked down at her. "Let's go play with the Lost Boys." He grabbed her hand before she could say anything and they ran off towards the little children.

"Will we be able to see Tigerlily?" I asked Sky.

"Sure, she will come out in a few hours." We walked towards a large tree full of pink blossoms. The shade blocked the sun out of our view and we both sat down underneath it together.

"It seems Tigerlily is the only teenage woman in this camp," I said.

Sky nodded. "She is. That's why she is treated like royalty. It helps that her father is chief, but she also has to get married soon, and that is the biggest tradition in the life of these people."

"Who will she marry?"

Sky hesitated before answering. "Chief is still looking for a suitable husband. There are not many teenage men in the camp either which makes the decision much more difficult."

"I see." We were silent for a moment, before I spoke again. "Sky?"

"Yes?"

"What were you _really_ talking about in the teepee?"

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye. "What do you mean? We told you; we talked about Hook and his men."

"I can tell when you're lying." I stared at him, my eyebrows raised.

He tried to keep his face innocent, but he gave up and sighed. "I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Chief told us not to speak of it yet. When the time is right, I will tell you."

"Is it bad?"

Sky shrugged his shoulders. "It depends who you talk to. It is good for some and bad for others."

"What is it for you?"

He hesitated. "It's bad for me." I looked up at him nervously. He smiled and scooted closer towards me. "But don't worry; it's not a sure decision yet. You don't have to get all nervous."

I slightly grinned and he reached down to pull a strand of hair out of my face and tuck it behind my ear. "What was that for?" I asked.

Sky shrugged his shoulders. "I just wanted to." He smiled his gorgeous smile of his and I felt my face warm.

"Corie…Sky!"

We looked over at Slightly, who was calling us from the play area. "Come play a game with us! Come on, it'll be fun!" He turned around and continued to run with the rest of the group.

Sky stood up and grabbed my hands to fly me up to my feet. "Let's see what they're doing." We raced to the play area where we would be playing with the cute kids for the next couple hours.

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The sound of a drum being pounded on was heard and our game of "Red Rover" (taught by Ali and I) was ended as the kids ran to their parents. "What's going on?" I asked to nobody.

Curly came up beside me. "Tigerlily is about to come out of her tent. Dinner will be served and then the tribal smoke and dance will begin."

Ali came up on my other side. "What are they doing?"

"I guess they're preparing for Tigerlily to come out of her tent," I answered.

"Oh," Ali said shortly.

The men with the drums continued to pound away on them as they lifted their feet in the air and spun around in circles. Everyone was gathered around one tent, waiting for Tigerlily to show herself. The sky was turning dark and stars were starting to emerge. The chief stood in front of the crowd and held out his arms. The music ended and there was silence. He started to speak in a different language and it was difficult to make out what he was saying.

"He's saying that it his time to allow Tigerlily to come forth from her tent," Curly interpreted for me. The chief continued to talk. "He wants his daughter to be married soon so it is important for the men in this camp to heavily impress not only Tigerlily, but the chief of course."

Flies With Eagles stopped talking and he pointed towards the flap of the tent. "Tigerlily," he said. The flap slowly folded upwards and a young woman came out of the teepee.

Tigerlily was amazingly beautiful. Her braid reached the center of her back and the ebony of her hair shone in the firelight. Her skin was smooth and brown, with no trace of dirt anywhere. Her eyes were warm and tall and her face was round. She was smiling gently, looking at each member of the camp. She stepped forward and as she did so, everyone in the camp slightly bent their heads down. She wore a beautiful red shawl which covered her upper half and her pants were sapphire blue. On her face, the design was of a beautiful flower. She walked up next to her father and he smiled down at her.

He raised his hands. "Let dinner be given to all," he tried in English.

Everyone cheered and ran towards the campfire. Someone had lighted it and it was rising high above the heads of every person in the camp. The chief escorted Tigerlily to her seat, which was right beside his. Our group sat the farthest away from the fire, because we were guests. Ali sat on my one side and Sky sat on my other.

I looked over at Ali and saw that she was staring at Tigerlily with a mix of awe and jealousy. I dared not say anything, knowing that I would probably get a cold response from Ali if I tried to make her feel better.

"Would you like some?" Sky asked next to me.

I turned to him and saw that he was holding a plate of some kind of meat. "What is it?"

He handed me a separate plate and started to pile on some of the food. "It's crocodile."

"Crocodile?!" I said, staring at the strange meat.

He laughed. "It's good; trust me. You'll like it." He handed me the plate with the food and I passed it down to Ali. She took a minute to realize I was holding the meat in front of her because she was still staring at Tigerlily. I cleared my throat and she looked down at me.

"Oh, thanks, Corie." She plopped some of the meat onto her plate and continued to stare jealousy at the girl sitting across from her.

Peter leaned over. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

She looked at him. "Yes, I'm fine." She started to laugh. "Sorry, I'm just acting a little weird."

Peter smiled. "It's okay." He grabbed some meat and started to dig in. "Whenever you guys want, I can introduce you to Tigerlily," he said, looking at me too.

"Yeah, that'd be cool," I said.

"Sure…whatever," Ali mumbled.

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It was time for the tribal smoke and dance. After dinner, the chief brought out a long pipe which was already smoking at the end. My eyes widened at the sight of it and Sky started laughing. "It's not harmful. Everyone in the camp has a little. It's a nightly ritual."

The pipe started with the chief taking a bit, and then he passed it on down the line. "Even the little kids take a smoke?"

"Yep. They believe it makes the younger stronger in the end."

"Wow…that's unbelievable."

Soon, the pipe got to the Lost Boys and they all took a long suck. Some of their faces turned red and I laughed at the sight of them. Slightly was last and he giggled with excitement as he handed it to Sky.

Sky grinned at me before he put his mouth over the tip of the pipe. He slowly inhaled and he took the pipe away from his mouth. He slowly opened his mouth in the shape of an "O" and let the smoke inside his mouth form into an "O" in the outside air. It rose above our heads and he handed me the pipe.

I stared at him in shock and he smiled. "Go on. Don't suck in too much."

"I won't." I felt a little strange sharing this pipe with everyone in the camp, but I forgot it and put my lips around the pipe. I sucked in a little bit and was surprised to taste that the smoke was sweet. I let it linger in my mouth for a little bit, but then I let it drift out into the air.

"There ya go…how was that?" Sky asked, nudging my shoulder.

"That was pretty nice," I said quietly.

Soon, everyone in the camp had taken a smoke and the men with the drums before started to pound on their instruments again. Sky stood me up on his feet and grabbed my hands. "What are you doing?" I asked, laughing.

"I'm dancing with you…come on!" He pulled me around the fire, chanting along with the rest of the men.

The fire was bouncing off all the faces of the dancers and the women were singing high above everyone else. I looked over and saw that Peter was dancing with Ali near their seats. Sky was still holding onto me as the Lost Boys joined us running around the fire. I felt so free and alive and I could not stop laughing. The chief pointed to me and clapped his hands and Tigerlily smiled up at me. Her father pushed her up and she reluctantly started to dance.

"Here, let's get Peter to introduce you to her," Sky said."

We walked over where Peter and Ali were chanting and Sky leaned towards Peter and whispered in his ear. Peter nodded and grabbed Ali's hand. "Come on, you can come meet her now."

We pushed through the crowd of people where Tigerlily was dancing. She had her hands above her head and she was slowly moving her hips back and forth. As we approached her, she stopped dancing and smiled at Peter. She grabbed his hands. "You _must_ dance with me, Peter."

Peter smiled, but looked nervous as she tried to take him away. "Wait, Tigerlily, there's someone that I'd like you to meet." Ali tried to pretend she wasn't jealous, so she looked away from the two.

Tigerlily laughed. "We can do that later; we must dance." She once again tried to pull him away, put he stood firm.

"Please!" She stopped smiling and looked at him. He pointed at Ali and me. "This is Corie and Ali. They're my friends."

Tigerlily stared at the two of us before nodding her head. "Hello," she said quietly.

"Hello," I said.

Ali stood in her place, not saying a word. There was a moment of silence before Peter spoke again. "They've been dying to meet you and ask you about the times Hook has taken you."

Tigerlily rested her hand on his arm. "And all the times you saved me, Peter."

Ali's face tightened as Peter nervously laughed. "Yes, well…" He moved away from her. "Maybe later on we can dance some more."

"You must save me a dance, Peter," Tigerlily called as we walked away.

Peter bit his lip and I looked at Sky and saw that he was looking nervous too. Ali still had the same expression on her face and Peter grabbed her arm. "We should dance some more…come on!" He took her away and left Sky and I alone.

"Well…that was awkward," I stated.

"Yep, well…that's Tigerlily for you," Sky replied.

_Hope you liked it! Next chapter will have a little bit more of the camp in it, so more Tigerlily, too! I pretty much made up everything about the camp, so please don't give me any true facts about the Indians in Peter Pan. Thank you!_


	8. Jealousy and a Kidnapping

_I love all your reviews! You guys are really nice and I appreciate all the support I can get. This chapter will have a bit more drama in it at the camp. Hope you enjoy!_

Jealousy and Desire

Sky looked over at Peter and Ali and saw that they were dancing again. I noticed that he was trying to avoid my gaze, so I kept staring at him. Finally he turned towards me. "What are you looking at?" he asked with a smile.

"What are you keeping from me?"

His smile faded and he started to walk back to the fire. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I ran up and grabbed his arm. "Yes, you do! You are such a bad liar."

When he looked at me, his face was serious and he looked upset. "Listen, Corie…I will tell you. But I just can't right now. I was sworn not to."

I frowned. "That bad, huh?"

He looked away with a sigh. When he turned back towards me, he had a smile on his face and he pointed back at the fire, where the dance was still going on. "Still want to dance with me?"

I smiled reluctantly and we linked arms, walking back to the fire together.

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The whole group of guests and Indians had been dancing for a while, when Chief stood up and raised his arms to stop the activity and music. Everyone immediately got quiet and sat down on their mats on the ground. He smiled at each and every person with much love and pointed towards Tigerlily. "It is now for the virgin dance."

"Virgin dance?" I asked, looking over at Sky.

He smiled and leaned close to my ear. I felt shivers go up my arms as he started to whisper. "It's a tribal tradition. Every night that Tigerlily is a virgin, she dances alone in front of the whole tribe. It's very important for every young male to watch the dance carefully, and see who she chooses to dance with her. It means that she trusts whoever she dances with."

"So, it's an honor?"

"Of course."

"Does she choose someone different each time?"

"She tries to, but it gets difficult because there are so few men her age here."

"I see." I secretly prayed that she wouldn't pick Sky to dance with her. _"I could_ _just imagine her leaning down to grab his hands_._" _My hands clenched just as the thought of it.

Tigerlily was beside the fire, looking down at her feet. The drummers played a much somber song as she started to dance. The dance was very seductive and I saw every person had their eyes glued on her. I looked over at Ali and saw that she was looking away from her.

Tigerlily started to walk around the circle. Whenever she got close to one of the guys, they sat up their knees and eagerly watched her get closer. After passing each one, they'd sit back down and look very disappointed. She had a small smile on her face as she passed the Lost Boys. They all waved at her and smiled as she passed by. She put her hands above her head and twirled in her circle. She was right next to Sky and me.

_"She better not…" _I thought as she looked down at the two of us.

She briefly looked at Sky for a moment and then kept on passing. I exhaled with relief and looked over at Sky. He smiled at me and I felt my face get red.

Tigerlily was now at the end of the circle, and I felt my heart drop when I realized who the last boy was. Peter and Ali seemed to have realized too because Peter was nervously looking down and Ali was completely turned away now, looking at the ground.

She stood in front of Peter, twisting her hips back and forth for a second, before finally reaching her hands down towards him. Everyone started to clap, except for a select few, and she waited for Peter to take her hand.

"Come on, Peter. You owe me a dance."

He nervously laughed and looked over at Ali. She was still staring at the ground, her hair covering half of her face. He looked very reluctant when he looked back up at Tigerlily. "Sure."

She smiled and hoisted him up off the ground. Everyone was still clapping and continued to watch the two of them. The tension of the dance was over and everyone started to join in around the fire again. Tigerlily and Peter were slowly circling the fire together.

Sky looked over at me and I said, "Well, that was expected."

"Yeah…" he trailed off.

"Has she ever picked him before?"

Sky didn't answer, but Slightly came up behind me. "She's asked him five times!"

"Quiet, Slightly!" Sky said dangerously.

"Well, it's true! It seems that every time we come here, she _always_ picks Peter. It's no surprise anymore."

I looked over at Sky and saw that he was glaring at Slightly. Slightly smiled nervously and ran off to the fire to dance some more. Sky turned away and started to shove a stick in the dirt. I got closer to him. "Why didn't you want to tell me that?"

Before he could answer, Ali came over in a hurry and plopped down next to me. "Come on, let's go." Her eyes were cold and she looked very upset.

"Right now?" I asked in shock.

"Yeah, it's late. We're gonna be tired tomorrow."

Sky leaned towards her. "But, wait! You guys still have some more time here. Peter said he'd take you back at the right time."

Ali glared at him. "Well, Peter's said a lot of things, hasn't he?" She looked back at me. "Come on, Corie; I wanna go home."

I turned towards Sky and he shrugged his shoulders. Desperately, I turned back towards Ali. "How are we gonna get home without Peter? He knows the way."

I saw Ali trying to think of an answer. She sighed. "All we need is our happy thought. I remember how to get home," she said stubbornly.

Sky asked, "What if you get lost?"

"We won't." She stood up. "Come on, Corie. I'm _really _tired." I could hear the pleading in her voice and I felt guilt rise up inside me. I looked over at Peter and Tigerlily and saw that they were still dancing.

I sighed and looked back at Ali. "All right," I said, standing up too.

She smiled and walked over to the fire to say goodbye to the Lost Boys. Sky came up behind me. "What do you mean 'all right?'" It's not a good idea. You could get lost on your way and end up in a totally different place."

I shrugged my shoulders. "What can I do? You saw how upset she was!" We both looked over at her and saw that she was clearly avoiding her goodbye with Peter. As Tigerlily was holding onto his hand, he kept giving glances at Ali and trying to catch her attention. She ignored him and walked back over to us.

"You gonna say goodbye to the Lost Boys, Corie?" she asked in a strained voice.

Sky and I quickly glanced at each other before I nodded and walked over to the fire. Sky followed me. The Lost Boys looked very disappointed that we were leaving so soon and asked for us to come to following day. "Sure," I said hesitantly. I noticed that Sky was eyeing me nervously.

As I gave my last hug to Curly, I felt a tap on my back. Peter was standing there, looking distressed. "Where did Ali go?"

I looked over at the last place where Ali was standing and saw that she was gone. "I don't know," I answered honestly, my heart beating fast.

Peter ran his fingers through his hair. "Is she mad?" he asked me quietly.

"Listen, Peter…let's talk about this next time. I don't think she's in the mood to talk with you right now."

He wasn't listening, but looking behind me at something. He suddenly cried out, "Ali, come here!" He ran away from me and I spun around to see the scene.

Ali was trying to leave the camp without Peter noticing, but he had obviously seen her while talking to me. She quickened her pace once she heard him call her, but he was too fast for her. He caught her arm and she struggled to break free. I started to laugh and Sky joined with me. "I'm guessing Ali is the jealous type."

"I've never seen her get _this _jealous though."

Peter was now down at her level, trying to get her to look at him. Ali was still trying to leave, stubbornly turning away from him.

"This won't ruin the visits, will it?" Sky asked.

I shook my head. "I don't think so. Ali's not one to hold grudges."

As I was laughing, Sky suddenly slipped his hand into mine. I instantly stopped and looked up at him. He didn't have a smile on his face, but his eyes were looking at me with determination and compassion. I smiled at him and felt my heart leap for joy. His hand was warm and our fingers were in twined together. He broke the gaze and looked over at Peter and Ali. "Looks like they made up."

I looked over and saw that Peter was spinning Ali, her small legs flying through the air as she laughed hysterically. Before they turned towards us, Sky let go of my hand, and my hand felt strangely empty. Ali beckoned us to come over and we both did.

"Forgave him?" I asked with a grin as we reached the two of them.

Ali nodded and beamed up at Peter. "I had to give him a talking to, though."

Peter rolled his eyes and all of us laughed. "You guys should probably go home now though. It's pretty late," he said.

We both nodded and smiled at each other. Ali suddenly jumped on Peter's back and they ran out of the camp doing piggyback. Sky and I smiled at each other before running after the other two.

As Peter set Ali down, she suddenly gasped. "I completely forgot! We're leaving for the next town tomorrow."

"Whoa, you're right!" I exclaimed. "I can't believe how fast time's going by."

Peter said, "Relax! It's fine! I know where to find you guys; don't worry about it."

"How do you know?" Ali asked him.

He smiled mischievously at Sky. "I have my ways." Both of them laughed together and Ali and I frowned.

"I'm sure we'll find out one day," I said right to Sky's face.

He crouched down to get to my height. "Oh really?" he said, looking very intimidating.

I quickly stole the bag that he was carrying in his hand and started to run with it. I heard Ali and Peter laughing as I got farther and farther away. I looked over my shoulder at Sky and called out, "Come on, don't you want it back?!"

He shook his head, a small smile on his face. Suddenly, he charged at me at full speed. I screamed and turned around to avoid the trees passing by me. I could hear him getting closer and the calls of Peter and Ali from behind us. I leapt over bushes and twigs, but I knew that Sky was on my tail. Still laughing, I leapt over a rock and as soon as my feet touched the ground, Sky tackled me. I screamed and we both fell on the dirt, cracking up.

My heart was racing and there was sweat glistening on my brow. Sky's arms were around me and he had a satisfied look on his face. I frowned at him, but didn't have any breath to say words. He grabbed the bag out of my hands and smirked at me. "Maybe you should _think _before taking my stuff again," he said breathlessly.

"Nah," I barely got out.

He laughed and I looked down at my clothes which were covered in dirt. As I was looking at my grass-stained pants, Sky suddenly put his hand under my chin and lifted it up so I could stare at him.

The forest was dark and Sky's eyes popped out at me in all of the ebony. He smiled at me and I suddenly trusted him. I felt my heart beating even quicker as he started getting close to me. _"No, this is too soon!" _my head screamed, no matter how much I really wanted this. Just as he barely reached my lips, I slightly leaned back and whispered, "I better go."

His eyes still closed, he sighed and let his head drop down. Luckily, he slightly laughed. I realized that he was still on top of me and I fidgeted underneath him. With a heave, he stood up and pulled me up with him. "We better get to Peter and Ali before she leaves without you." He started to walk away and I felt a wave of pity go over me.

I grabbed his hand and stood on the tips of my toes to kiss him on the cheek. It was my way of showing him I had really wanted to. He looked at me with surprise and awe, but a grin soon spread across his face. "Corie, you sure are a mystery."

And with that, he held onto my hand to lead me back to Peter and Ali, who were grinning knowingly at us, waiting to go back to our cozy hotel room.

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"Can't will 'till next time," Ali whispered, as we walked back to our bed.

Peter had just brought us back and promised us that we would see him tomorrow. I sighed. "It goes by fast when we're there."

"I bet it does for you…being in love with Sky and all," she said with a wide grin.

I rolled my eyes and climbed under the sheets. "It's time you stop telling me that I'm in love when _you're_ the one who nearly killed a certain someone after dancing with Tigerlily."

Ali's eyes got cold as she climbed into the bed too. She whispered, "I don't know what you're talking about" with much resistance in her voice. She turned on her side and faced away from me.

I laughed. "Sure…it wasn't obvious at all. You just wanted to leave early after seeing them together, but it's no big deal."

I could see that she was trying not to get upset, but she soon flipped around towards me and started venting. She hissed, "Can you blame me for getting angry? First of all, Peter tries telling me that Tigerlily and he are just friends and they never see each other, which is obviously a lie. Secondly, _he _was the one that invited _me _to the campfire and he didn't even dance with me. Thirdly, he acted like it wasn't a big deal and got all defensive when I got upset, and lastly…"

"Ali!" I breathed.

"What?" she asked sharply.

"I get it. You don't need to go any further; I know you hate Tigerlily."

Her eyes softened at this. "It's not that I hate Tigerlily; I don't even know her. It's just that…she seemed to be only interested in Peter. Didn't it seem like that?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean." I thought of when Tigerlily nodded curtly when Peter introduced us.

"Whatever, I'm over it. He apologized and he looked uncomfortable with her anyway." She flipped back over and rested her head against the pillow. "Good night, Corie."

"Good night, Ali."

As I fell asleep, I smiled at Ali's envy, but still thought of the secret between Sky and Peter. Did that have anything to do with Tigerlily?

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"You guys, get up!" someone was screaming loudly.

I groaned and slowly opened my eyes. Lisa was standing at the end of our bed, staring down at us. "What?" I asked.

"It's time to get up. I've been trying to wake you for the past ten minutes."

I sat up and looked at the clock. We were leaving in an hour. Ali was still lying down, but she was glaring at Lisa from her spot in bed. "You don't have to scream at us," she groaned.

Lisa laughed. "Apparently I do. No matter how loud I yelled, you guys were still sound asleep." I started to take the sheets off myself. "Gosh, you guys seem so tired. Have you been getting any sleep?"

Ali and I glanced at each other, but I said, "Of course we have. What else would we be doing?"

Lisa shrugged and walked to the bathroom door to knock. "Come on, Elaine. All three of us need to get in there."

"I'll be out in three minutes; I swear it!" came Elaine's muffled cry on the other side of the door.

Lisa sighed and walked back over to our bed to sit down. Ali and I had lay back down and tried to fall asleep again. Lisa hit our knees at the same time and our heads shot up. "What?" we said sharply.

"If you guys fall asleep again, it will be harder to get up." We groaned, but she pulled on our hands. "Come on, sit up. You'll thank me later." I rested against the headboard of the bed.

"Why do we have to get up so damn early in the first place?" I grunted.

"So we have more shopping to do before all the concerts," Lisa grinned.

I laughed and Elaine finally stepped out of the bathroom, a great amount of steam billowing after her. "What were you doing?" I said laughing.

She frowned at me. "I was just taking a shower. You guys act like I was in there for hours."

"More like it _was _hours," Lisa muttered so only Ali and I could hear.

We both laughed and watched her walk into the bathroom to shut the door behind her.

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"Everyone on the bus!" Dr. Brady called above the heads of surrounding choir kids.

There was a rush of movement as everyone tried to find their spots on one of the two buses. A group of our friends rushed to the closest bus and quickly got on, counselors escorting us to our seats. I quickly looked up at the top of the hotel, where our first room was. I smiled as I realized that was the window where we first met Peter.

"I can't believe we're already leaving," Ali whispered next to me.

I looked over at her and saw that she was weakly smiling, but with a hint of a tear in her eye. I sighed and linked arms with her as we climbed up the steps of the bus. "We still have a lot of time to see them. It's not over yet."

She smiled at me and we all walked to the back of the bus to sit down. We began to laugh and chat as our bus pulled away from the curb of our hotel. I gave one last glance at our high balcony and smiled at the thought of our visit to Neverland.

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Two hours later, we arrived in Leamington, and all piled out of the bus full of excitement. Ali and I had regained more hours of sleep during the ride and were much more alerted as we stepped onto the hotel sidewalk.

The hotel was more old fashioned and not as large as our last one. It still had a gothic design and several stories though. Dr. Brady led us inside the lobby and everyone looked around at the new surroundings.

The lobby was illuminated by a small chandelier hung from the low ceiling. On each wall, there was a small candle glowing softly, giving an eerie feel to the room, yet a comfortable one at the same time.

After getting our room assignments at the front desk, we all piled onto the elevator up to the third floor where our new room was waiting for us.

"Awww…this one's cozier than the last one!" Ali cried out as we stepped into room 304.

She ran in and jumped on the double bed that was closest to the window again and gave me a significant look. I smiled and lay my suitcase at the foot of the bed. "This one is nicer," I said to myself.

Although the room was slightly smaller, there was a homely feel to it. Pictures were hung up on the wall and there was a dining table in the corner by the window. I instantly went to the window as Elaine and Lisa took their place in bed.

I opened the balcony door and stepped out. We were facing the street again and I watched the pedestrians walk along with shopping bags in their hands. I smiled and felt the air go through my hair. _"I'm seeing Sky soon,"_ I thought to myself. I suddenly realized how beautiful this trip was.

Elaine opened the door and came outside to join me. She leaned on the railing, looking out at the street below. "When's your solo?"

"I think it's the last concert."

She hesitated. "Are you nervous?"

"Not now, but I will be later." We both laughed and continued to stand in silence.

Elaine sighed. "This trip is amazing. I never want to leave."

Neverland popped in my head. "I know what you mean," I said quietly.

"It's really changing my life. I'm probably never going to come here again, you know?"

My heart sank as I realized that what she said was true. Once we left England, I would probably never come back. That meant that I was most likely never going to see Sky again. "Ten days really isn't enough."

"Yeah."

Since the town was more rural than that last, less cars drove by and less shops were lined against the street. I smiled and rested my head on Elaine's shoulder. "We truly are blessed."

She laughed. "Yes…we are."

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It was after the concert and everything went perfectly well. The church was a lot fuller than the last concert and the audience responded much more with the songs. We all piled out of the church, roaring with excitement from the successful show.

Dr. Brady stood in the middle of the pack, listening to us rejoicing. He smiled at us and held up his hands to quiet us. He looked at his watch quickly, and then looked back up at us. "It is eight' o'clock right now." Everyone quieted immediately, anticipating his curfew. "All of you must be back at the rooms at…" he smiled, "eleven thirty."

There was a cheer and he raised his hands to calm us again. "I'm only letting you stay out so late because you did a _wonderful _job at the concert tonight. I really am proud of you all."

We cheered again and all set out to have a good night. A big group of us set off to find some local hangouts, ready to celebrate a great night.

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"You guys, we're a little late. Be quiet as we take the elevator," Lisa whispered to us as we entered the lobby of the hotel.

Our big group of friends had been in a teen pub, where there were plenty of cute guys. No matter how many had come up to Ali and me, we slightly felt put off as we compared them to Sky and Peter.

We all said our goodbyes as we made to our different rooms. The four of us opened our locked door and changed in our pajamas immediately. "That was _so _fun!" Elaine said, climbing into her spot in bed.

"Yeah it was," we all agreed, following Elaine's suit.

I got myself situated under the covers and turned off the light next to the bed. Ali muttered, "Any concerts tomorrow morning?"

"No," Lisa said with relief.

We all sighed with happiness. "That means we get to sleep in, right?"

"Yeah, but only until about nine. We're going out for breakfast at ten."

Ali reached over for the alarm clock. "I'll set it for nine, then."

As we began to fall asleep, Lisa suddenly whispered my name. "What?" I whispered back.

"Why did you totally blow off that hot guy in the pub? He was totally hitting on you."

I smiled. "He wasn't that great."

I felt Ali nudge my shoulder and we both grinned at each other. We were going to see some true men very soon.

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I suddenly woke up as I heard a creak at the balcony door. _"Peter's here!"_ I thought to myself with excitement. I turned over and started to wake up Ali. "Ali!" I whispered at her. She started to open her eyes. "It's time to go." She groaned and stretched her arms above her head.

I smiled and started to put on my sneakers that were next to the bed. Quickly, I put my hair up and went over to the window to meet Peter.

The door was wide open and the curtain from the window was floating eerily into the room. Peter was not standing in the room. I suddenly felt chills glide up my arms and I quickly looked back at Ali who was putting on her shoes. "Ali…" She looked up at me. "Peter's not here," I said quietly.

She frowned. "But the door's wide open. The wind couldn't have done that." I shrugged my shoulders. Her face relaxed. "He's probably out on the balcony. Tell him I'm coming." She went back to tying her shoes.

I slowly turned my head back at the curtain, which was still floating in the air. I walked towards it, pushing it out of my path so as not to frighten myself. I hesitated before walking out on the balcony. _"Something's not right."_ I took a breath and paced out into the nighttime.

Right when I walked out, I knew that Peter was not there. Someone suddenly grabbed me and put their hand around my mouth so I couldn't scream. My heart was pounding and I tried to yell out, but it was muffled by the man who was holding me. I heard a voice in my ear whisper, "See what Peter will do when his precious Ali is taken."

Before I knew it, a searing pain went through my head and blackness took over me.


	9. A New Set of Enemies in Neverland

A New Set of "Friends" In Neverland

The smell of salt water was the first thing I smelled as I regained consciousness. Seagulls were shrieking above my head and I felt the warm pillow against my face as my head rested upon it.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw that I was in a small bedroom. The walls were made of wood and I was lying on a short cot. _"What am I doing here?"_ I asked myself. I glanced around the room trying to get an idea of where I was.

There was a small dresser beside the bed with a broken clock lying on top of it. I slowly sat up, my head throbbing, and picked up the bedside clock.

A great gash was what had broken the clock and it looked like it had been done purposefully. _"Was this done so I won't know what time it is?"_

Suddenly, the door flew open and I finally remembered why I was there.

A short, old man walked into the room, sneering down at me. He wore a red bandana and had knobby glasses on the bridge of his nose. His beard was long and reached down past his chin. His pants were pulled over his bulging belly and his legs were squat and thick. Right as he stepped into the room, I had cried out, "Smee!"

The smile was wiped off his face and he stared down at me. "How do you know my name?"

"Peter's told me," I came up with quickly.

This caused Smee to smile again. "So it's true then? You're a new friend of Peter, aren't you?"

"Why does it matter?"

He turned away from me and started to talk to himself. "Captain was right. This is the dear friend of Peter's which he will come to save…no doubt. Pan will be here soon and right as he comes aboard…." He sliced his finger across his throat.

My eyes widened and I stood up from the cot. "You mean…you're gonna kill him once he gets here?"

Smee jumped when I spoke, as though he had forgotten I was there. "Of course he will. Pan always has to save the day."

"What makes you think he'll fall for the plan? Peter is smarter than you think."

He stepped closer towards me, with that sneer on his face again. "Captain says that Pan will never leave his precious Ali to die."

"Ali's here too?!" I cried out.

Smee glared at me. "What are you going on about?"

"Ali's here too! I thought you had just gotten me."

Smee's eyebrows reached the top of his eyes. "What are you talking about? You _are _Ali!"

I stared at him for a second and then plopped down onto the bed, finally understanding the situation. I started to laugh and Smee continued to stare at me in confusion. "Why are you laughing? What are you going on about?"

I shook my head. "I'm not Ali. I'm Ali's friend. You left Ali back at the hotel room in England."

Smee's mouth slowly opened as he stared down at me in shock. After a moment, he snapped out his trance and stood up straight. "I have to go get Captain." He ran to the door and closed it behind him. As he started walking away, I heard him mutter, "He's not gonna be happy…no way…"

I begin to snicker again and I fell back onto the bed, my head plopping on the incredibly soft pillow. _"If they are stupid enough to not know the difference between Ali and me, then I think I have a pretty good chance against Hook and his men."_

Suddenly, there were voices in the hall. One was Smee and he was talking quickly to someone beside him. They were walking quickly towards my room. Just as the door opened, I shot up to see the two men.

Captain Hook stood in the doorway. His piercing gray eyes stared down at me, causing me to feel empty as I looked into his vacant eyes. His hooked nose and his pursed lips made his face look much more frightening and I felt chills rise up my arms. The long, wavy hair that reached down past his shoulders was spread out over his impressive blood, red jacket. My eyes traveled to his infamous hook which looked as though it had just been cleaned for the occasion.

As I stared up at him in shock, a smile started to form across his face. He stepped closer into the room, Smee following close behind. Hook began to talk and his voice was smooth as glass. "Smee tells me that you are not the one that we planned on taking." His eyes stared into mine. "Is this true?"

It took me a moment to find my voice and my answer came our hoarse. "Yes, it's true."

He sneered at me, but I could see the slight flicker of fear in his eyes. "You're lying," he hissed.

"No, I'm not," I said bravely. "My name is Corie and I room with Ali. We both have been coming to Neverland and Peter knows both of us." Hook stood up straighter, giving a significant look at Smee. "You've made a mistake," I said loudly, and the two of them looked back at me. I smiled. "And it kills you to know it."

Hook stood over me, raising his hook to my face. The cold of his deadly weapon touched my cheek and he slid the smooth side to my hair. "The funny thing about Pan…" He allowed the hook to brush my hair behind my ear. "….is that he has a problem about being second best." I stared at him, but he continued to smile. "He will lose if his new friend will die."

My voice was quiet, but strong. "That's where you're wrong. Peter won't lose. He never has and he never will." Hook's smile vanished and he stopped stroking my hair. "All you ever will be is second best."

Hook quickly slashed his arm through the air and there was a flash of pain across my cheek. I cried out and put my hands across the bleeding wound on my face. The blood was hot and coming out fast. He stood up from the bed, smiling down at me. "It's a shame we can't see eye to eye on these types of things." I glared up at him. "I'd like to see Pan try and get you. My men and I have been planning good defense for a while now…too good for Peter."

He and Smee slowly stepped out of the room and I heard the click of the lock as I pressed part of the bed sheet on the scratch on my cheek.

_"It's not that deep, but it hurts like hell," _I thought to myself.

I lay back down on the pillow and began to wonder, _"What are they all doing right now? I hope they're coming soon."_

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I lay on the bed what felt like hours. I was hungry, tired, and had to go to the bathroom terribly. I could hear the sounds of the men on deck, walking along and singing terrible melodies with their scratchy voices. I sighed and rolled on my side to face the wall.

The cut on my face wasn't as bad as before, but I could feel a scab starting to form. _"How am I going to explain this one to Lisa and Elaine?" _

Suddenly, the door flew open and Hook was standing at the door, his face rather flushed. I flew up from my bed. "What do you want?" I asked him coldly.

He smiled, and with great strength, heaved me up from the bed. I cried out and tried to get away, but he held onto me. "Stop struggling, you fool. Or do you want another scar on the other cheek?"

I immediately went limp and he pulled me out of the room into the hallway.

On the deck above, I could hear the cries of men and the sound of clanging swords. _"Peter's here." _

Hook cursed and pulled me with him up the stairs to the deck. "What are you doing?" I asked nervously. He ignored me and continued to walk up into the sunshine.

There was a battle going on. From what I could see, it was the Lost Boys against the crew. Nibbs was close by, fighting a tall man with web like scars on his face. I scanned the deck, looking for the most important Lost Boy of all.

"Don't dawdle!" Hook cried out. He pulled me roughly by the arm and I cried out in pain.

We walked through the battle, Hook taking me to an unknown destination. Throughout the cries of battle, I heard one significant one.

"Corie!" someone yelled from behind me.

I quickly turned my head to see who had seen me.

Ali was standing, holding a sword in her hand, but a smile on her face. She waved quickly, but had to go back to fighting as a man came up behind her.

Hook still pulled on me and I now realized where he was intending to drop me off.

I was standing right in front of the plank, the one length of wood stretched over the vast ocean. The sparkles in the water laughed at me as the sun shone on the crystal blue. I felt my heart drop and I stood in shock before the edge.

"What are you waiting for?" Hook asked. He was now standing behind me and I could feel the point of his sword against my back. "There's no time to waste, my dear."

I couldn't move. My muscles were quivering and my knees felt like they were going to give out. Hook dug his sword in through my shirt so it touched my bare back.

"You'll die either way."

I closed my eyes, trying to calm my rapid heart. Taking a deep breath, I stepped onto the narrow beam of wood.

The battle was still going on and nobody knew that I was about to fall into the bottomless sea. _"Why didn't Ali get help when she saw me?"_ I thought to myself.

"Keep going," Hook said with amusement in his voice.

I stepped farther out and the plank shook under my weight. I held my hands out to give myself more balance and I shifted my feet even more forward.

"As you hit the water, I'm sure you'll be expecting some company. The sharks love to come out at this time of day."

As soon as he said it, I saw a fin break the surface of the water. I screamed and ran back towards the ship.

Hook held his sword at me and smiled. "You wouldn't want to be doing that."

I stopped and turned back around. _"I have no choice. This is it. This is the end of our adventure. Well, __**my **__adventure at least." _I walked back to the spot I was before. _"If I'm going to die before Hook, I'm going to do it with pride. I'm not gonna let him see me scared."_

Quickly, I looked back over my shoulder at Hook. He was still smiling and holding his sword out. I smirked at him, turned back around, and jumped right into the water.

The cold water hit me like knives and I gasped as soon as I reached the surface. I quickly looked beside me and saw that there were two fins a couple feet away from me. All I could do was float in shock and watch the sharks swim around me, obviously trying to conclude on what I was.

"It's too bad Peter's too busy to save the day this time!" Hook called from the deck. I looked up at him and he smiled before pulling his head back from the railing of the ship.

Now it was just me and the sharks, which were getting closer and closer towards me. My heart was racing and I tried to keep as still as I could. I felt so open and helpless as I waited for my death in the vast ocean.

Suddenly, a shark bumped against my leg and I screamed out. "No! Don't eat me…please!" Tears came to my eyes as the shark began to beat their fins against my feet. Desperately, I bent my head back. "Somebody help me!" I took a deep breath and yelled as loud as I could, "PETER!"

As if that was the cue for my rescue, Peter came flying off of the ship and sailed down toward me in the water. "Hold your hands up!" he cried as he was feet away from me.

I flew my arms up in the air and Peter grabbed on tightly without pausing. He pulled me out of the water with surprising strength and I was saved from the hungry sharks.

"Thank you!" I sobbed against his shoulder as he held on to me tightly.

He laughed. "You're okay. Calm down…I've got you."

I continued to cry as we flew over the ship, Peter looking down on the battle. He cringed and said, "We better get out of this." His one arm still holding onto me, he put his other hand in his mouth and gave a shrill whistle. The Lost Boys looked up from their individual fights. "Lost Boys! Retreat! We've gotten what we came for!"

There was a cry of triumph and the boys suddenly ran to the side of the ship and jumped into the water.

"Don't let them go, you idiots!" Hook cried from below. He tried chasing down one of the kids. "We have to beat them! No!" The Lost Boy outran him and jumped into the ocean.

Peter and I laughed and we made way for the shore in the short distance.

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Some of the group was on shore as Peter and I landed on the sandy shore. Right as my feet touched ground, everyone ran over and gave me a big hug. The boys were cheering and trying to tell the exciting story at the same time. I looked around and saw that Ali was among them, smiling with tears in her eyes. I gently pushed the boys and walked over to her.

"I'm so sorry, Corie!" She threw her arms around my neck, completely soaking me through. I could feel the tears on her face as she continued to talk. "I should have gone out on the balcony with you. This all wouldn't have happened if it weren't for me." She pulled back and her eyes were red and puffy. "I was so scared he was going to kill you."

I shook my head. "I'm fine." She let out a sob and I smiled. "Really, Ali, don't worry about it. It wasn't your fault." A grin started to form on her face. I gestured toward myself. "And look at me. I'm not even hurt."

"Except for that scar on your face," Slightly said beside me.

Peter touched my shoulder and turned me around. He looked curiously at the cut that I had completely forgotten about. His eyes got cold and he stared at me. "Hook did that to you?"

"Yes…but I'm fine. It didn't even hurt."

"Corie!" someone cried from the water.

Everyone turned, but I could clearly see who it was. Sky was stepping out of the water, his shaggy hair wet and a smile of relief on his face. My heart jumped and I ran towards him. He held his arms out and I soared right into them.

"Whoa!" he laughed as I hit him with great force. I laughed too and put my arms around his neck. His hands curled around my waist and he held me with gentle comfort. I buried my head into his chest and let him hold me as long as he wanted to. After a while, he pushed me back and looked at me. "I thought you were dead."

I chuckled. "Apparently, that's what everyone thought."

At the same time, we both looked over at the group and saw that they were staring at us. They instantly looked away and continued to talk amongst themselves.

I turned back towards Sky and he gestured toward the group. "Ali told us what happened."

Chills spread up my arm as I thought of the memory. "Yeah," I said weakly.

"Scary, huh?"

"You have no idea."

Sky nodded and looked down at his feet. "Sorry we couldn't get to you before Hook did that." He softly touched my cut and I shivered. "We'll fix it once we get back to the hideout."

"Sure," I said brightly.

We walked over to the group and all of us began to walk off the beach toward the woods where our safe shelter was waiting.

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"Hold still!"

Sky was putting some strange remedy on my face that had been given to them by Tigerlily. It stung like hell and I pulled away each time Sky came towards me. He sighed and put the bowl down. I glared back at him. "Well, sorry! But you don't know how bad that stings!"

He picked up the bowl again and continued to stir it. "Actually, I do! I've been given this every time I've gotten a cut and it takes the scar away in a day."

I got quiet. "Only a day?"

"Yes!" He scooted his chair toward me. "Now, be quiet. This will only take a minute."

My face tightened as I prepared for the hard blow. The cold medicine touched my scar and I breathed in sharply. He shushed me and continued to cover up my cut with the white substance. As soon as it finished, he smiled and put the bowl down. "There! Was that so bad?"

"Yes," I said stubbornly.

He shook his head and smiled. With a heave, he grabbed my hands and hoisted me up. "Such a drama queen."

We were in a quiet room of the hideout, but we could still hear the cries of the Lost Boys in the room next door. Apparently just having finished lunch, the sound of pots and pans were echoing throughout the house.

I suddenly realized the tension of the moment and slowly looked up at Sky. He was looking at me with a hard look. I quickly looked away and walked over to the door of the room.

Just as I reached for the flap of the tarp, Sky grabbed my hand and roughly turned me towards him. I gasped, but not out of fear. He stared down into my eyes and I felt his hands wander along my back. "I need to kiss you," he whispered.

I could feel his hot breath against my face and the ends of his hair was softly brushing my cheek. I wanted to kiss him too, but I felt like it was too soon. I closed my eyes. "I just don't know if now's the right time."

"How is now not the right time?" he asked with a louder voice.

He was right. The moment was great. He grabbed me with determination and wanting, which is what I had always wanted in a kiss. But I just didn't feel it as much as I wanted to. I needed proof that what we were doing was right. "Kisses mean a lot to me…and I just want the moment to be perfect."

We stood there for a moment, staring at each other. Sky slowly let go of me and stepped back. He didn't look upset, but disappointed. "This is twice that you have denied me and I thought I did well with both."

"You did! You really did! It's just…I don't know how much you like me or whatever…"

He laughed. "Isn't it obvious that I like you a lot?"

I shrugged lamely. "I don't know." He turned away and I walked up behind him. "I swear that it'll be soon. I just need it to be perfect."

He sighed. "Take your time, Corie. It's worth it." He walked through a different flap which must have led to his room.

I watched him go and sighed. The Lost Boys were still talking loudly in the room next door and I walked through the flap towards them.

"Ouch!" someone cried as I ran into them.

"Nibbs!" He smiled sheepishly at me. "Were you eavesdropping?"

His face fell. "Me?! No, miss. I was just waiting for you to come out for some lunch. I wasn't eavesdropping on nobody." I gave him a knowing look and he exhaled. "Fine, I was eavesdropping. I couldn't help it; you both were whispering and I just happened to hear."

I felt my face go red. "That's kind of embarrassing."

There was a moment's silence and then Nibbs spoke quietly. "Sky really _does _like you a lot."

I looked up at him in surprise. "How do you know that?"

"He was talking about it with me the other night."

I paused. "What did he say?"

He shuffled his feet. "I don't know if he wanted me to tell you."

I smiled. "I won't say a word." He shook his head and I bent down to his level. "Please, Nibbs! I swear I won't tell Sky that you told me. I really want to know." I gave him a pleading look.

He sighed and nodded his head. "All right, I'll tell you." We both sat down on the ground. "It was yesterday…when we went to see Tigerlily. You had just left and Sky was looking all funny and goofy. I went up to him and asked him what was wrong. He said, 'Nothing. Actually, everything is just perfect.'"

I felt my heart begin to beat faster as Nibbs continued. "I've never seen Sky like that. I would expect Sky to be the last one of us to ever look like that over a girl. I asked him if it was because of you and he nodded his head. I swear I've never seen him as happy as the time he talked about you. He said you were unique, unlike any other person he'd ever talked to. He also said that he felt like he could trust you and that you'd always be there for him." He smiled. "He said that you were the first he told his happy thought to."

I looked down at my lap to hide my reddening cheeks. Nibbs touched my hand and I looked up at him. "Trust Sky when he says he likes you, Corie. I thought he was fooling me too, but when he hugged you at the beach today…" He shook his head. "The look in his eyes said it all."

Nibbs stood up from the ground, smiling expectantly at me. He turned away, but I cried out, "Nibbs!" He turned around. "Thank you," I said quietly.

He silently tipped his hat and walked back over to the sink.

I stood up and walked back through the flap.

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"Are you decent?" I asked quietly outside of Sky's room.

He hesitated before grunting, "Yes."

I slowly pulled back the flap and saw Sky lying on one of the top bunk beds. He slowly raised himself up to look at me. I smiled and let the tarp fall back behind me.

He jumped down from the bed and stared at me. "What are you smiling at?"

I still stayed in my place and continued to beam at him. He walked a little closer towards me. "What is it?" he asked curiously.

My heart was racing as I continued to smile at him. _"He truly wants me. All the things he said were so sweet and I've never heard a guy talk about me like that before."_

Sky finally stepped right in front of me and stared down at my grinning face. "What are you doing in here?"

Suddenly, I didn't care if it mattered whether or not it was the right time. I grabbed Sky around the shoulders and kissed him as hard as I could.

His lips were soft against mine, but I could feel the wanting as he kissed me passionately. He put his arms around my body and held me against him. My hands were around his neck and I had to stand on tiptoe to reach. I realized that we were moving back and soon he was pressing me against the wall. My heart trembled as he continued to show his wanting for me. His lips left mine and he was now kissing my cheek, my chin, my neck. I moved my hands down to his back and hugged him harder than ever. _"This is what a kiss really is."_

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It was a mystery of how long the kiss lasted, but we were soon leaning against the wall of his room, my head in his lap, and he stroking my hair. I felt his stomach start to jump with laughter. "What caused all that to happen?"

I laughed too. "I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…I promised that I wouldn't tell you. He wasn't sure you'd care that I'd know."

He suddenly stopped stroking my hair. "Did Nibbs tell you about our conversation last night?" he asked coldly.

I sat up. "Please don't tell him. I promised that I wouldn't tell you. He's going to think I betrayed his trust if he finds out I told you."

I was surprised to see a smile spread across Sky's face. He leaned forward and kissed me quickly on the lips. "Remind me to thank him."

My head went back down on Sky's lap and he continued to stroke my hair. "I will."

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"We'll see you tomorrow," Ali was saying to Peter. The two of them hugged as Sky and I said our goodbye.

The smiles we gave each other seemed like we had a secret. No one else knew that we had kissed and it had a special meaning to it. "I'll see you tomorrow, Corie," Sky said with a smirk.

"And I'll be seeing you." We gave each other one last hug before Ali and I us gave our goodbyes to the rest of the Lost Boys.

Peter walked us out of the hideout and we walked into the warm, night air. Ali was giving me a questioning look, like she already knew what was going on. I ignored her and continued to think about the moment between Sky and me that day. _"What a perfect kiss."_

As we rose into the air, it was not my choir that I had thought of to get back to our hotel room in England. I smiled and daydreamed about my "new" happy thought all the way back from Neverland.

_I was a little nervous about putting the first kiss in this chapter, but I think it was a good time to have it. The fans' point of view is the most important opinion, so tell me what you thought about it. I'll try to update as soon as possible! Thanks again for the reviews!_


	10. A Second Meeting with Tigerlily

_Sorry that it took me a while to update this! I'm doing two other stories. I have no reviews for my Pirates one, so I need some people to read it!!! Thanks again for the REALLY nice reviews! I LOVE them all!_

A Second Meeting with Tigerlily

"What happened?" Ali asked me, lightly hitting my arm.

The two of us had just landed on the balcony and were walking quietly into our room. I smiled. "Nothing happened."

Ali gasped. "You're lying to me! I can't believe it."

I rolled my eyes and sat down on the bed to take off my shoes as Ali kept whispering at me. "Why can't you tell me? It's not like I can tell anyone anyway."

"You've got a point." I looked up at Ali and saw that she was glaring at me. "All right, all right," I said, holding up my hands. "You can know."

She sat down beside me, looking at me eagerly. I took a deep breath and said, "Sky kissed me"

Ali grabbed my hands and started to squeal quietly. I quickly looked over my shoulder to see that Lisa and Elaine were still asleep. Ali continued to giggle and I laughed with her.

"That is so perfect! What happened exactly? Tell me everything!"

So, for the next five minutes, I told her every detail of the kiss: from Nibb's story to the stroking of my hair. Ali was a great audience and gasped at how great it all was.

"I'm so happy for you!" She sighed and let her hands fall. "It's about time!"

My mouth gaped open. "Are you serious? What about you and Peter? I thought you would be the first to do something."

Ali rolled her eyes and stood up from the bed to take her shoes off. "I thought so too."

"So," I said tentatively. "When's that going to happen?"

"Not sure…I hope really soon." She turned towards me. "If I'm lucky, it'll be half as good as you and Sky's kiss."

I smiled and lay my head against the pillow in total bliss, basking in the glory of it all.

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The alarm next to my head went off and I jumped with fright. I groaned with exhaust and rolled over to hit the button.

Lisa and Elaine immediately sat up and one of them ran to the bathroom to slam the door behind them. Elaine came over and smiled down at Ali and me. "How is it always you two that are the last to get up?"

"Sorry we're not little marathon runners in the morning," Ali said grumpily.

Elaine laughed. "Well, it's not like you guys to be so tired all the time." She looked at us curiously. "You sure you guys don't do anything at night without Lisa and me knowing?"

I made sure not to glance at Ali and laughed. "What could we possibly be doing?"

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"That concert was awful," Lisa groaned.

Our entire group of friends was walking back to the hotel, in very low spirits.

"First off, no one was there," our friend Michelle stated.

"And…we blew," I said bluntly.

Everyone laughed weakly, but still dragged our feet as we stepped through the front doors to the lobby. We all said our goodbyes and took the elevator to our rooms.

The four of us walked inside and fell down onto our beds.

"At least today was a really fun shopping day," Elaine said.

"Yeah, that's true," Ali said. She scooted close to me. "And at least we're going to see our favorite people soon," she whispered.

I smiled and stood up to put my pajamas on. The sooner I went to sleep, the sooner Peter would come to get us.

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The door creaked open of our balcony and I saw Peter's feet step into our room.

I was closest to the window and I turned my head around to look at my friends. Ali slowly opened her eyes at the sound of the door opening and Elaine and Lisa remained still.

"You guys awake?" Peter whispered at us.

I slowly sat up, along with Ali, and we started to put our shoes on. I grabbed a sweater and walked over to the balcony door where Peter was waiting outside.

His blonde hair was as messy as ever and he smiled greatly at me. "Hey, Corie."

I smiled sleepily. "Hey, Peter."

"Listen," he said, coming closer. "I'm really sorry about the whole Hook thing. That must have been pretty scary."

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. It wasn't your fault. Plus…you came to save me."

We smiled at each other and Ali suddenly came out on the balcony too. She beamed at Peter and then we all took flight into the air.

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The three of us landed on the sandy shore of Neverland where all the Lost Boys were waiting for us. They cheered and ran towards us with their rosy cheeks and smiles.

The ocean was pure sapphire and the sun shone down on us. I immediately took off my sweater and tossed it on one of the rocks on the beach.

The boys were all bare-chested and hugged us with great force. Ali looked at all of them. "We going swimming or something?"

"Exactly," Sky said from the middle of the crowd. He slowly looked over at me and I felt goose bumps on my arms as I smiled back at him.

Ali looked at Peter. "Why didn't you tell us to bring our swimsuits?"

Peter frowned. "Is there such a thing?"

Ali and I laughed, but started to take off our shoes.

The boys cheered and ran straight into the ocean's roar as I stripped off my sweater. Ali quickly followed the rest of the boys, holding onto Peter's hand as they dove into the water.

"Miss me?" Sky whispered into my ear.

I turned around and saw him smiling down at me. I felt my cheeks redden and I looked back down at the sand. "Maybe," I said shyly.

He slowly took my hands in his. "I know you did; there's no need to hide it from me."

I looked him in the eye and showed my pride. "Well, I know that you missed me too."

Sky's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah, I know you thought about me all night long." We both laughed, but I shook my head. "I'm just kidding."

"It's true," he said quietly.

I looked up at him and could feel the longing in his eyes as they rested on my face.

"Come on, Sky and Corie! The water's great!" Tootles cried from the water.

Sky, still holding onto my hand, ran down to the water. My bare feet touched the rising tide and I cried out in shock. "It's freezing!"

"You get used to it!" Ali cried among the rocks. Her pajamas were completely soaked through and her eye makeup was slightly running. Just the same, Peter was looking at her with so much desire, it gave him a look of being hypnotized. He reached over and dunked her under the surface.

I laughed, but soon got a surprise when Sky suddenly pulled me into the wave with him. The cold water engulfed me and I was totally submerged. I broke the surface with a gasp and saw Sky grinning at me, his hair completely wet.

"You took me by surprise!" I said in shock.

"I had to," he said sheepishly.

I splashed a handful of water in his face. He turned to me with a glare. "Sorry, I had to," I said laughing.

He started swimming towards me. "And I just had to do this." He laced his fingers together and pushed my head down under the surface. When I came back up, he was laughing again, and I splashed him once more.

"Water fight!" Slightly called from beside us.

The Lost Boys all cried out and water was beginning to fly everywhere. I shut my eyes to protect them from the salt, but continued to throw water in every direction. I was laughing so hard that I was becoming weak with my throws. Everyone was crying out and laughing, I could barely hear myself. I slowly started to stop tossing the water and I realized so was everybody else. I was still laughing, but stopped when I saw everybody was looking at the shore.

Tigerlily was walking out on the shore by herself. She was glancing over her shoulder, seeming to look for somebody. Nervously, she held up her hand and waved at us in the water.

I looked over at Ali and saw that she was avoiding looking at the shore and instead stared at a rock next to her. Peter put his hand up and waved back at Tigerlily, giving a sideways glance at Ali.

"Uh, I better go see what she needs," Peter muttered. He stood up and slowly walked out of the water towards Tigerlily.

Right as he reached her, Tigerlily beamed and threw her arms around him. As soon as they let go, she began to ramble excitedly to his face.

"What is _she_ so happy about?" Ali whispered in my ear.

"Let's go see," I suggested. I began to walk towards shore, but Sky suddenly grabbed my hand.

"Wait…just wait and see before you go." I couldn't help but notice there was anxiety in his dark eyes as he looked back at Peter.

It was about a full minute of Tigerlily talking with Peter until they finally separated. Peter turned around and waved us to shore.

We all obeyed, and the Lost Boys and we struggled out of the ocean to walk on the hot sand. Of course, right as we stepped into sunlight, we instantly dried and I took my hair down out of its ponytail. We all approached Peter and Tigerlily and Peter began to translate for us.

"Tigerlily says there is another feast tonight. It is a celebration dinner."

"For what?" Ali suddenly asked, glaring Peter down.

"F-for…not sure yet. She didn't make that clear." He smiled and looked back at Tigerlily to talk in her language.

I looked at Ali and saw that her eyes were narrowed and she was tapping her one foot on the sand. She wasn't the only one that knew Peter knew something we didn't.

"Well…I will see you tonight," Tigerlily said in her thick accent. She smiled, turned around, and we watched her black hair shine as she walked back into the forest.

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The campfire was blazing and the tribe was hooting and dancing around it. All faces were painted and headdresses stood out against the dark, ebony sky. We walked through the camp, looking for Tigerlily.

Ali still had her sour face on, occasionally looking up at Peter. Whenever she did this, he would look away and smile.

Sky was holding onto my hand and I couldn't help but show my affection for him every so often by squeezing his hand.

"Peter!" someone cried next to us.

We all turned our heads and saw Tigerlily at the flap of her teepee. She was well dressed for the occasion. Her long hair was not in braids, but left on her shoulders with long waves rippling through it. Somehow, she was wearing eye makeup, which gave her dark eyes a warm look. Instead of wearing her usual attire, she was wearing a short, red dress, which looked like it was made of some animal skin. The pattern was simple, yet amazing on Tigerlily. Her bright teeth shone as she smiled at Peter and she ran towards us.

Right as she was near, she had her arms out and was ready to hug Peter, until he held up his hand. Tigerlily stopped, clearly disappointed. Peter cleared his throat and motioned towards Ali and me. "I know that you have already met them, but I didn't get to give you a proper introduction." He beckoned me towards him and put his hand on my shoulder. "This is Corie."

I smiled politely and held out my hand. "Nice to meet you."

Tigerlily smiled a small grin and shook my hand. "And this…" Peter put both hands on Ali's shoulders, bringing her directly in front of Tigerlily. "…is Ali."

"Nice to meet you, Ali," Tigerlily said slowly, picking her words carefully.

"And you," Ali said shortly.

There was a slight hiatus as we all stood around, looking at one another. Finally, Peter cleared his throat and pointed at the fire. "Shall we all go over?"

Tigerlily said something in her language and pointed towards her teepee. She stared to walk towards it and looked back at us.

"What did she say?" Ali asked Peter.

"She wants me to go talk with her and her father," Peter said, holding his finger up at Tigerlily.

"Why does she want to do that?"

Peter looked down at Ali. "I'll explain later. Listen, go to the fire and eat something. I'll try to be back in a little bit." He held her hand for a second before walking back towards Tigerlily.

Ali was still staring at the two of them as everyone else started to walk to the fire. I walked up next to her. "Ali? Hello?" I waved my hand in front of her face and she grabbed it and started to laugh.

"I'm not having a staring fit." Her smile faded. "I just want to know what's going on in that little family of theirs."

"It's probably nothing. You're just overreacting."

She looked up at me. "You really think so?"

"Yes." I smiled. "Come on; let's just have fun tonight instead of getting in another fight with Peter."

She laughed and linked arms with me. "Agreed!"

We skipped over to the fire, where all the boys were seated together, getting food piled onto their plates.

Sky had a seat saved for me and I sat beside him, Ali on my other side. I smiled at him and he stared at me, a smile on his face. "What?" I asked.

He looked back at his food. "I don't know. You just…"

I leaned over and took his hand. "What?" I said, smiling at him.

His blonde hair was slightly fanned over his eyes as he looked down at me. "You just…amaze me." I sat up straighter as he continued to talk. "Everything about you is just…so…" He held his hands up. "I don't know. I can't explain it."

I squeezed his hand. "I know what you mean."

He smiled at me before leaning down and giving me a soft kiss.

I looked around to see if anyone had noticed and then I started to eat my food, my heart beating against my chest.

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Peter was finally back from Tigerlily's tent and was now sitting next to Ali. He was staring at his food, not partaking in any of the conversation. At one point, Ali leaned over and whispered, "Is everything all right?"

He just nodded and slowly ate his food. We soon found out what Peter was upset about.

Chief came out and raised his arms for silence. It immediately became quiet and everyone stared up at their leader. He smiled before speaking in his dialect. "What is he saying?" I asked Sky.

He cleared his throat. "He says that Tigerlily has chosen her husband."

Immediately, I felt my heart drop and I looked Sky in the face. "Who is it?"

He looked away from me. "We'll find out in a minute."

"I think we both know who it is, Sky." He continued to stare at the fire as the chief still talked. "Sky…look at me."

He slowly turned his head and stared at me. "Is it Peter?" I asked quietly.

He sighed. "Of course it is."

I quickly looked over my shoulder at Ali. She was staring, confused, at the chief, listening to all he was saying. I looked back at Sky. "What's going to happen? Does he have a choice?"

Sky shrugged his shoulders. "Technically…he does."

I sighed out of relief. "That's good." Sky looked down at his feet. I leaned back towards him, my eyes widened. "Are you saying Peter's going to say yes?"

"It's the right thing to do, Corie." I quietly gasped and Sky leaned towards me. "Listen, Peter has gotten so much help from Tigerlily and her tribe. If he denies her proposal, he will lose important allies. _We _will lose important allies."

"What about Ali?" I asked shocked.

His eyes suddenly fell upon Ali and they softened. He looked back down at his feet. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

Suddenly, the tribe cheered and I looked over to see Tigerlily standing in front of the fire. She began to speak in their language and was looking at each and every person surrounding the fire.

"What is she saying?" I asked nervously.

"She's about to say who she chooses."

I gave one last glance at Ali who was still staring up at the entire scene in confusion. Peter was right beside her, his face entirely expressionless except that it was slightly paler.

Tigerlily took a deep breath, smiled, and pointed directly in front of her at Peter.

The entire tribe cheered, stood up, and began to dance around the fire. Tigerlily grabbed Peter's hand and the two of them began to join the dancing around the fire. Some of the Lost Boys joined too, while some of the older ones remained in their seats, and glanced nervously at Ali.

Ali's face was set in stone. Her eyes showed nothing and her lips were closed tightly together. In her lap, her hands were clasped tightly together and she stared into nothingness. She didn't need a translator to know what had just happened.

I quickly looked over at Sky for help, but he just shrugged his shoulders and let his head drop down to look at the ground.

I looked back to Ali and I leaned closer to her. "Ali?" She stared straight ahead. "Ali; are you okay?" She didn't say anything, but her eyes moved to Peter and Tigerlily dancing together. "Ali…please say something."

Her voice shook when she spoke. "I don't know what to say."

I put my hands on her knee. "Listen, let's get out of here. We don't have to stay for the dance."

Ali was still staring ahead and I looked to see what she was looking at.

Tigerlily was holding onto Peter's hands and he was facing us. He was staring right at Ali, his eyes pleading to her, but he continued to swing arms with Tigerlily.

Ali suddenly stood up and said loudly, "You're right. We better go." She quickly walked away, leaving Sky and me behind.

I looked over at Peter and saw that he was saying something to Tigerlily. He let go of her hands gently and stared jogging towards us. "Where did she go?" he asked breathlessly.

I pointed towards the woods. "Before you go…how could you…?"

Peter ignored me and chased after Ali. She wasn't even in sight anymore.

Sky grabbed my hand and stared to follow Peter. "He'll catch her, right?"

"He has no right to catch up with her. He lied to her this entire time," I said bitterly.

"He couldn't. It wasn't a sure thing yet."

"Well, now it's sure," I said, passing the last of the teepees. "And now he's going to marry someone he doesn't even love." We came to an abrupt stop as we saw Peter and Ali right in front of us.

"How could you _not_ tell me about this?" Ali was crying at Peter, tears streaming down her face. "Something this big…and you think it's a good idea to keep this from me?!"

Peter was trying to get a hold of her flailing hands. "Ali…please…listen."

"No! I will _not _listen! I knew something was going on with you two, but I didn't think that you would ever marry!"

"Ali…"

She suddenly stopped pacing and stood in front of him. "Do you love her?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you love her?" Peter searched for words and Ali nodded her head. "I thought so." She went back to her pacing. "You don't even love her and you're going to marry her. How sick is that? I know that you don't feel many emotions, Peter, but what I've felt these last couple days are not one-sided."

"Ali…"

She stopped again. "Why?"

"Why what?" Peter asked nervously.

"Why are you marrying her?" Ali cried, throwing up her hands.

"Because…I…"

"Because?...Because…" Ali interrupted.

Peter cried out, "Because I _need _to, Ali."

"Why…in God's name do you need to?" Ali asked shrilly.

"Because they are our number one allies. Imagine what would happen if I declined."

Peter had said the wrong thing, because Ali went absolutely wild. "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't realize how important it was for you to have allies. Love means absolutely nothing, right? I totally agree!"

"Ali, I don't even have words to explain my actions. I know how…heart-breaking this must be to hear…"

"No…no…to have something be heart-breaking…you need to be in love; and I was never in love with you." Peter stared at her. "That's right. I was _never in_ love with you. What we had was just…chemistry…that's it. Yeah!" Ali continued to search for words to say. "I never…thought about you when I was away from you. I never wished you would kiss me when the moment was just perfect. I never dreamed of you after a day of Neverland. That _never _happened…and furthermore…"

Ali suddenly stopped rambling because Peter had grabbed her and kissed her as hard as he could. Ali tried to escape his grasp, but Peter held tight and continued to kiss her as passionately as he could. Soon, Ali melted into his kiss and put her hands around his neck. Peter gently grabbed her face and the two of them remained like that.

I looked over at Sky and saw that he was staring at the two of them in the same amount of shock that I was in.

Finally, the two of them stopped, but Peter held onto her. "I'll say no…of course I'll say no." I walked over to Sky and beckoned him to follow me. We stared to sneak behind a tree so they wouldn't see us spying on their romantic moment.

"You will?" Ali asked weakly.

Peter grabbed her chin. "Of course." She smiled. "It's always been you, Ali. I could _never _see myself with Tigerlily. I know that our alliance will be over, but that doesn't matter. It's nothing compared to what you and I have."

Ali slightly laughed. "I'm sorry I said you had no emotions."

Peter shrugged. "In a way, you're right." His voice got quieter and Sky and I strained to hear. "These last couple days with you have made me grown up in a completely different way. I used to not know what it was like to feel…but now I do." They came together for another kiss and Sky and I looked at each other.

"Well," Sky whispered, "guess Peter made his choice."

I laughed and went over into Sky's arms. He held me close to his chest and kissed the top of my head. "This means that both couples are officially together," I whispered.

Sky laughed and kissed my head again. "If you say so."

I looked up at him and he kissed me. The two of us kissed while Peter and Ali kissed for the first time

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"Are you scared?" we heard Ali ask as Peter and she walked back towards the camp.

Peter sighed. "A little."

They came into sight, and Ali grabbed his hand. "You'll be fine."

Peter kissed her quickly and looked at the campfire. Everyone was still dancing around it and you could barely see Tigerlily standing by her father. "I know I will."

The two of them walked through the entrance to the camp and Sky and I watched them walk towards the fire.

"_Will_ everything be alright?" I asked Sky.

"I think so."

I tightened my grip on him a little more as I watched Peter walk up to the chief.


	11. Losing Allies

Losing Allies

Sky and I, hand-in-hand, walked into the camp, waiting for the explosion that was certain to come from the chief. Peter and Ali had walked into the camp together, but Ali had let go of his hand once she realized everyone was staring at them. Peter gave her a look over his shoulder but she beckoned him towards the chief. He took a deep breath and approached the looming man.

We were now standing behind Ali, who was nervously watching the scene with us. Tigerlily would look from Peter and her father and then back to Ali, her eyes narrower each time.

The Lost Boys soon joined us, looking at the conversation confusedly. I squeezed Sky's hand and he looked down at me. I leaned towards him to whisper, "What is he saying?"

Sky bent to my ear. "He says that he's in love with someone else and could never give up something this good in his life."

I smiled at Sky. "Did he really?"

He nodded and then we went back to watching

It wasn't pretty.

All of a sudden, the chief cried out in anger. Everyone stepped back nervously, even members of the tribe, but Peter stayed in his place, not moving an inch. He put his hands on his waist and continued to talk calmly to the chief, but it was no use. The man had never looked so mad.

Tigerlily came up from behind her father and gently touched his elbow, but he continued to yell and throw up his arms. He then pointed at Ali, straight at her face. Ali backed up closer to us. He then started to come towards her.

"No," Peter said, stepping in front of the chief. "You…will not harm her."

The chief stared at Peter, and then back at Ali. He pointed his finger at her again. "You…leave my daughter…for her?" he asked in his accent.

Peter nodded. "But we do not have to be enemies," he said slowly. "We can still be allies and fight against Hook together."

The chief laughed a cold laugh that shook his whole, bare belly. When he was done laughing, he stepped up close to Peter's face and stared at it. "Leave," he said quietly.

"Chief…" Peter started.

He stood up straight and pointed at the woods. "Leave!" he shouted.

His shout echoed through the woods and rang through the ears of all the people in the camp. The Lost Boys, Corie, and Ali were all looking at Peter in desperation. The people of the tribe were looking at the chief with loyalty.

Peter slowly turned his head towards Tigerlily who was standing a couple feet away from him. "Tigerlily…I'm sorry…"

The chief suddenly pushed Peter back with such great force that Peter fell onto the ground. Ali gasped and ran forward to help him up, but he held out his hand. She hesitated, but came back to us, biting her lip.

Peter stood up, gave one last glance at Tigerlily and her father, and then said, "Lost Boys, back to our home."

They slowly picked up their things, looking at their fellow friends in the tribe with a pathetic goodbye. But loyally, they followed Peter's words and began to walk out of the camp with everyone else.

Peter and Ali were in the front of the group. At first they were just walking side-by-side, but then Peter gave her a side glance. He came towards her and grabbed her hand with his. She quickly looked at it and then looked at Peter with a smile on her face. He smiled back and the two of them walked into the woods, with a step in their walk that only Sky and Corie could understand.

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"Peter, maybe we should talk."

They were back at the house. The Lost Boys had gone to their rooms with sullen looks and had not even said their goodbyes with Ali and Corie before going to bed. Sky immediately came up to Peter to discuss the incident.

Peter held up his hand. "Sky, there's nothing really to talk about." He walked to the table to sit down at the head chair.

Sky hesitated, but then walked up to Peter again. "Maybe you should go back and try to reason with the chief."

"I just did! You think he's going to change his mind?"

"I don't know…maybe…" Sky muttered, shuffling his feet.

Peter sighed and stood up from his chair. "It doesn't matter. We don't need the tribe."

"We don't?" Sky asked glumly.

"No!" Peter exclaimed with a smile. He came towards Ali and wrapped his arm around her waist. "We've got all we need."

Sky smiled grimly at the pair, but still looked worried. "Peter, what if they plan to attack?"

Peter held up his hand again and gestured toward me. "Sky, what you need is a few minutes alone with Corie before she leaves. Leave the worrying to me and you spend time with her." And with that, Ali and Peter walked out of the room into Peter's bedroom.

I raised my eyebrows at Sky and he laughed. "He is so stubborn," he said, running his hands through his disheveled hair.

I laughed with him and walked over, standing directly in front of him. "He's right though; you worry too much," I teased, looking up at his face.

He scoffed. "Oh, you think so?"

"I know so." We stared at each other a minute, and then he wrapped his arms around me.

He held me close to his chest and I felt the warmth of his body against mine. I sighed contently and closed my eyes as he continued to hold me. I could hear his heart beat against his chest and feel his hands slowly caress my back. We sadly parted, but he kissed the top of my head sweetly.

"You leaving breaks my heart each time," he whispered, staring into my eyes.

"Don't say that," I said quietly.

"But seeing you brightens my day, Corie."

I smiled at him and he kissed my forehead. We stood there again for a minute, he leaning against me and me being held in his arms. He then whispered to me, "What am I going to do when you leave altogether?"

My heart sunk the lowest it ever had. I had been waiting for him to bring it up. I knew that we had to talk about it someday. Ali and I were going back to the United States and we would never see Sky and Peter again.

When I didn't answer, he gently pulled me away and looked at my face for a clear answer. I found that I couldn't look at him and I glanced away from his face and looked at the ground instead. "Corie," he said firmly.

I hesitantly looked up at him. He was staring at me with a gentle intensity, asking me what was going to happen with us. I sighed desperately and started to shake my head. "I just don't know, Sky. I just don't know."

He didn't retaliate or say anything back; he just nodded his head. "We don't have to talk about it now."

"Good."

He put me against him again. "All I want right now is to hold you," he whispered.

I found that tears had come to my eyes. They suddenly surprised me and I tried to blink them away on Sky's shoulders. He must have heard my sniffling, because he suddenly pulled me away again with an expectant smile.

"Stop," he said gently. He put his hands on my face and wiped the tears off my cheeks.

"I'm sorry," I laughed, my nose still sniffling.

He stared at me with a sad smile. "Why are you already crying?"

I laughed again. "I don't know! I think it's because I'm imagining the actual process of leaving this place."

He again wiped the tears of my cheeks and brushed my hair off of my face. "We still have five days until you guys have to leave."

"And after that?" I asked quietly. Sky's eyes filled with pain and he looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry," I said quickly. "It's just…I can't help thinking of what's going to happen once Ali and I leave."

"I told you; we don't have to talk about that now," Sky said, looking back up at me.

I sighed. "I know…I know." I let my head droop down, but Sky immediately pushed my chin back up, holding onto it with his hand.

The way his sandy hair fanned across his forehead and the way his dark eyes bore into me would make any girl feel the way I felt as he stared at me. He bent down and kissed me gently.

My heart was beating as fast as it could and I put my arms around Sky's neck. I felt him smile against my lips and he wrapped his arms around my waist. The two of us stayed like that, not caring who would walk in and feeling like the only two people in the entire world.

_"This is exactly where I need to be right now."_

Sky suddenly picked me up and twirled me, still locked onto my lips. I separated though as a wave of laughter came upon me. "Stop!" I squealed.

He laughed too and set me down again. I looked up at the top of his head. "How tall are you?" I asked.

Sky looked taken aback as I asked the question, but he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I've never been measured."

"Well, I'm 5'6 and you're about…" I sized him up with my eyes. "…seven inches taller than me."

"Is that a lot?"

I laughed. "Yeah…that's a lot." He laughed and shrugged his shoulders again. "So, you're about 6'1."

"Is that considered tall?"

"Yeah…that's pretty tall." I laughed. "Especially compared to the rest of the boys here."

"That's true."

He then picked me up again and twirled me. My legs were flying out from me and I held on tightly to his shoulders. "Sky!" I yelled out in a high voice.

He just laughed and continued to spin me. I looked up at his face and glared as he looked at me and kissed the tip of my nose.

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Peter had flown Ali and I back to our hotel room. The two of them had held hands the entire time and had stared at each other with almost dazed looks. Once we had reached the balcony, I could tell that they wanted a moment to themselves. I waved goodbye to Peter and quietly opened the door.

I glanced over my shoulder quickly and saw that Peter had gently grabbed Ali's face and they were now kissing. I smiled and turned back around to climb into my bed. I stopped suddenly and my mouth fell open.

Elaine and Lisa were wide awake, sitting on the pillows Ali and I had used to look like us. They were sitting there, almost with amused looks, but also steaming with anger. I began to stutter for words, but they said nothing. I realized they were waiting for Ali to come inside.

"Bye," we all heard Ali whisper as she shut the door behind her. She turned around with a smile on her face, and suddenly stopped as her eyes fell upon Elaine and Lisa. "Whoa," she said.

"That's what we were thinking when you guys were missing all night," Lisa said, holding up one of our pillows.

There was silence. Ali and I had no idea what to say. Even if we did tell them the truth, they probably wouldn't believe us, but if we told them a lie, they would probably see right through it.

Elaine broke the silence. "Where the hell were you guys?"

Ali and I looked at each other desperately, waiting for the other one to think of what to say. "Well?" Lisa insisted.

"Um…"I started.

"Well…" Ali stuttered.

"Here's a better question," Lisa interrupted, standing up from the bed, "how did you get back on the balcony when you weren't there all night?"

My heart stopped and Ali and I gave each other another look. "Why won't you tell us?" Lisa said, walking up to us.

"It's just…" I said.

"You wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't what?" Elaine asked, stepping up next to Lisa.

Ali looked at me and I nodded for her to go on. She looked at our two friends. "You guys…probably wouldn't believe us, even if we did tell you."

"What makes you think we wouldn't believe you?" Lisa asked quietly.

"It's a pretty elaborate story," I laughed. Ali laughed with me, but Elaine and Lisa still looked upset.

"Look," Ali said, "what if we told you we're not doing anything wrong; we're safe; and we are with good people."

Elaine's eyes widened. "You're going _out _with people?!"

"Well…sort of," I said, cringing at their reaction.

"Do you know how dangerous that is?!"

"What were you guys thinking? We're in a different country and you're going out at night with strange guys?!"

"Shut up!" Alex suddenly cried out. Not too loud, just loud enough for the two of them to hear. They immediately shut their mouths and looked at her. She sighed. "If you want to know the true story, you're going to have to _really _open your mind."

Lisa and Elaine looked at each other and then looked back at us. "We can do that," Elaine sighed.

"And you might want to sit down," I suggested, pointing at our bed.

So, the four of us went to my and Ali's bed and we started our story.

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"You guys…you guys," someone was whispering at me.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw that Lisa was standing over our bed, gently shaking Ali and me awake. Once she saw my eyes open, she stopped and sat back down on her bed, smiling at the two of us.

Ali and I both sat up at the same time and looked over at the other bed. The two of them were sitting up, holding their pillows like children, and smiling at us.

"What's the matter with you?" Ali asked.

The two of them looked at each other and Lisa bit her lip. "Well…we were wondering…"

"And we totally understand if you don't want us to," Elaine added in.

"…but we were wondering if it would be okay if we went to Neverland with you guys," Lisa said very quickly.

My mouth dropped open. "Seriously?!"

"Are you kidding?" Ali asked.

The two of them grinned mischievously. "You guys were telling us off last night for getting ourselves in difficult situations," I said with a bit of amusement.

"Yeah, but that was at the beginning of your story," Lisa said smiling. "Then you started talking about all the pirates, mermaids, food, fairies, Indians, and we got hooked."

The four of us laughed, but Ali and I were the first to stop because we looked at each other in thought. True, it would be really fun to bring the other two, but it almost felt not right. We were the first to go to Neverland and it would be almost weird to see Lisa and Elaine there.

"You guys," Lisa said. We looked at her. "Don't feel like you have to invite us."

"Yeah, again, we totally understand."

I felt guilt rise up in me and when I looked at Ali, I saw that her face had the same amount of sympathy. We smiled and nodded at each other. Ali turned to them. "You guys can come tonight."

The two of them squealed with excitement and grabbed each other for a hug. "Yikes, I didn't know you guys were _that _excited," I said, laughing at the two of them.

They laughed with me and then separated. "Since you guys are so nice to us," Elaine said, standing up from the bed, "one of you can have first showers."

Ali and I gave each other a quick glance and we both flew up from the bed. I made it first, being closer to the bathroom and closed it right after me. I heard Ali groan from the other side of the door. "Sorry," I cried jeeringly.

"Sure you are," Ali grumbled. I heard her walk away and sit down next to Elaine and Lisa.

I continued to laugh as I quickly took off all my clothes, turned on the shower, and stepped into the warm water.

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There were a big group of girls eating lunch together, Ali and I among them. We were all sitting at a cute café, drinking cappuccinos and eating our ham and cheese sandwiches.

My friend Michelle leaned towards me. "I love how ham and cheese sandwiches are the only good sandwiches in England."

We both giggled and I nodded my head, taking another bite out of my sandwich. "And I love how adorable every single person is here."

At that moment, a group of guys our age walked by, glancing at our side of the table, us facing them as they walked out of the café. "And I love how often we get checked out here," Michelle whispered to me again.

I laughed with her, but went back to eating as she continued to stare at the guys walking down the sidewalk. I looked over at Ali and saw that she did not pursue the boys, but continued her one-sided conversation with our friend, Adrianne. When she realized she was talking to herself, she looked at me from down the table and rolled her eyes. I laughed and we shared a moment of understanding: we didn't care at all about the boys here; the only ones that mattered were waiting for us in a land far, far away.

"Are you done drooling?" I asked Elaine, who was sitting on my other side.

She didn't answer for a second and then shut her mouth. "What?" she asked dumbly. I frowned at her, but she started to laugh. I set down my sandwich as she started to get serious. "Why aren't you as interested in these guys as much as I am? I expected you to be all up in this."

I shrugged my shoulders with a sly smile. "Well…there's this…_guy_."

Elaine suddenly grabbed my shoulder. "Oh my God…in Neverland?!"

"Shhhh!" I shushed her, looking over my shoulder at Michelle. She started a conversation with her room mate, Andrea, though, so I turned back to Elaine with a smile.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you haven't told me!" Elaine hissed.

"Well, I guess that means Ali hasn't told you she's in love with Peter Pan," I said mischievously.

Elaine's mouth opened. "No way," she said dramatically.

I giggled. "Hell yes! They are absolutely adorable."

"Why couldn't you tell us this last night during your hour long stories?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Probably because the stories with Sky and me last a lot longer."

She squeezed my hand. "Then I am _so _ready to hear them!"

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After our big group of friends had finished our lunch, we soon met up with the rest of the choir at the church we were to sing at. As we stepped inside the small, but gothic looking church, we only saw a group of about eleven sitting in the pews. My friends and I smiled at each other and we all sat down in our designated seats, waiting to start out the concert.

It was a simple, yet satisfying performance. We sang through all our speedy, spiritual songs and then got to the beautiful, folk songs to end with the concert. The audience was very kind and applauded heavily for each song. We choir students smiled and showed off our posture as Dr. Brady bowed for the crowd.

We stepped out of the church in very good spirits, talking excitedly about the great day. "That was great!" Dr. Brady exclaimed, holding up his hands.

"Thanks!" random people cried out at the same time.

He shushed us a loud outburst of conversation started. "Listen, I want all y'all back in your rooms tonight at about eleven, okay?"

"Yes!" our friends cried out.

For a moment, the four of us looked at each other in disappointment. "This means less time in Neverland," Elaine groaned. Meanwhile, the rest of our group pushed us along to go into the stores and walk along the streets of Leamington.

Ali and I looked at each other with a laugh. "Don't worry about it," Ali said. "Corie and I haven't gotten proper sleep this whole trip."

"We were looking forward to it though," Lisa said quietly as Michelle linked arms with me.

"Looking forward to what?" she asked curiously, looking at Lisa with a smile.

"Umm…" she stuttered, "…looking forward to staying in England for a lot longer."

Michelle's eyes saddened. "Oh, I know. I've gotten so attached."

Elaine, Ali, and I looked at Lisa with impressive eyes. She smirked at us as we continued to walk down the sidewalk of the cute, little town.

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"Finally! We're back!" Elaine cried out, bursting through the door of our room. Right as she entered, she ran to the bathroom to get ready. "What should I wear? My pajamas?"  
"No!" Ali and I immediately responded. We laughed at our same reaction.

Elaine laughed too from within the bathroom. "Why not?"

"You never know what the Lost Boys might want to do," I said, grinning at the thought of them.

"Ugh, I'm so excited," Lisa said from her bed, pulling the covers over her Neverland apparel.

"Lisa, you're prepared," Ali noticed, getting on the side closest to the window.

"Hey, I listened to your stories," she started, holding up her finger. "You guys may be the thinnest things ever, but I am not letting random guys see me in my tight nighties."

We all burst out laughing at that, even Elaine as she walked out of the bathroom. We all got into our places in bed and turned off the lamps sitting on our night tables.

"Any concerts tomorrow morning?" I asked holding my hand over the alarm clock.

"Yep," Lisa answered. "We got one at around eleven, so set it for about nine."

I pressed the digital buttons and sighed as I got comfortable in my place. It was silent, our eyes were closed, and we all started to fall asleep.

"When do you reckon Peter's going to get here?" Elaine suddenly hissed.

We all set out in a stream of giggles, being the girls we were. Ali became serious first. "He usually gets here at around midnight."

Elaine sighed. "What time is it?"

I looked at the red numbers on the clock. "It's about 11:20."

"Ugh, time goes by a little too slowly."

I smiled sleepily. "Trust me; you'll want this time to sleep, Elaine. Just close your eyes. Peter will get here quicker if you're unconscious."

She sighed again. "You're right." I heard her turn over on her side to get comfortable. "Good night," she said after a slight hiatus.

"Good night," we all grumbled back.

Slowly, my eyelids started to close. Darkness took over me and I was fast asleep.

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The window slowly creaked open and I felt my heart start beating with excitement. No matter how much I loved just Ali and me in Neverland, I couldn't contain my joy at the thought of Elaine and Lisa meeting Sky.

I saw Ali quickly sat up. Fast as lighting, she jumped from the bed, run to the window, and surprised Peter by jumping on him as he stepped into our room. He cried out slightly as she jumped on him.

"What are you doing?" he asked with a little bit of amusement. "I could have woken up those girls."

"I don't think they mind."

With that, Peter looked up at the bed Elaine and Lisa were 'asleep' in. His eyes slowly widened as the two of them waved at him excitedly. "Hey, Peter," they both whispered.

_Sorry, guys! I know it's been a while, but my house was under construction and I couldn't really work on this. Thanks for the patience. Hope you guys are enjoying reading it as much as I enjoy writing it._


	12. Another First Time in Neverland

_Thanks for the amazingly nice reviews, guys! I love writing this story! This chapter will have the day with Elaine and Lisa in Neverland. Hope you like it!_

Another First Day in Neverland

Peter stood in his spot, the color drained from his face and his mouth opening and closing, searching for words. We all started to laugh at his reaction.

"Peter…breathe," Ali laughed, holding onto his arm. "We told them about Neverland."

Looking down at her, Peter asked, "You did?"

"Yeah." She looked at Elaine and Lisa. "And they want to come with us."

"If that's okay?" Elaine asked nervously.

Peter first looked at Ali, who nodded excitedly, and then looked back at up Elaine and Lisa. "Well…sure," he said.

The two of them cheered quietly and jumped from the bed. They ran towards Ali and Peter, holding out their hands to introduce themselves.

I got up from the bed, silently laughing at how ridiculous this whole situation was.

"You guys have met him before, remember?" Ali reminded them. "After our concert that one day?"

Elaine and Lisa looked at each other and then realization hit them. "Oh yeah…" Elaine trailed off.

"Didn't I make fun of you for your outfit?" Lisa laughed, going red in the face.

Peter smiled, but looked down at his jungle attire with a little less confidence. Ali grabbed his hand and he looked at her. "I think it suits you," she said quietly.

His eyes lit up and he leaned forward to give her a quick peck on the cheek.

I made eye contact with Elaine and Lisa and we all silently giggled.

"You guys ready to go?" Ali asked.

"Yep!" the two of them cried.

We all walked out to the balcony and felt the cool breeze hit our bare necks. I felt a wave of excitement hit me as I realized I was going to see Sky soon. I looked down and saw that I was rising off the pavement of the balcony.

Suddenly, Elaine and Lisa screamed. Ali, Peter, and I looked down to see them staring up at us in shock. "How are you doing that?!" Lisa hissed, her eyes bulging.

Ali and I were so use to flying; we had forgotten how unusual it was to everyone else. We all started to laugh and we came back to the balcony to land beside them.

Elaine's face was in pure shock as she stared at me. "You were just flying," she whispered.

"I know," I said laughing.

Peter and Ali were beginning to explain the importance of happy thoughts to Lisa and I realized it was my job to explain it to Elaine. "Elaine…what is your happiest thought?"

A smile spread across her face. "Are you seriously asking me that?" She looked over at Peter and Ali. "I can't believe this is real."

I laughed with her. "Trust me; I thought it was all a joke." She continued to laugh, but I grabbed her hand. "Come on, bud. Really…you need to think of the happiest thought that you have and don't let go of it. This time, you'll need some fairy dust, but the other times, you won't need it anymore."

Her eyes started to widen again. "This really isn't a dream, is it?" she asked in wonderment.

"Nope." I looked into her eyes. "Think of that thought…don't let go." I let go of her and watched.

At first, she was looking over at Lisa to see if she could imitate her, but Lisa was just as reluctant. Eventually, the two of them started to close their eyes and their eyelids softened as the memories started to pour through their mind. Peter took out his pouch from his belt, grabbed a handful of the magical dust, and put a little bit on each girl. Slowly, but surely, the two of them started to rise in the air and Ali, Peter, and I followed suit.

As their feet left the balcony, they started to open their eyes. "Oh my gosh!" Lisa cried out, grabbing onto me.

"Whoa!" Elaine screamed. She reached for Ali in surprise.

"You're okay," I coaxed on to Lisa. "Just calm down."

She took a few deep breaths and then slowly let go of my shoulder. As she realized she was still floating, she started to laugh. "This is amazing!" she cried out, throwing her head back. Lisa looked down at the street below. "I'm flying!"

"This is so weird…" Elaine said, letting go of Ali.

"You get used to it," Peter said. We all laughed as he did a somersault through the air. He rose above us and pointed towards the moon. "Come on…let's go to Neverland."

The four of us followed after him and I helped Elaine and Lisa the entire way as Peter and Ali held hands while we passed through outer space.

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"Oh my God…there it is," Lisa whispered.

Ahead of us was Neverland. It was beautiful as ever. The sun was shining, the ocean was sapphire blue, and the colorful forest was calling out our names.

Ali and Peter were ahead of us and Elaine and Lisa were each holding onto my hands. "Isn't it amazing?" I said, staring at it.

"Yeah," Elaine and Lisa whispered together.

We flew over the pirate ships where the first few scallywags were beginning to come out on deck. Elaine and Lisa excitedly talked to me about how I had been rescued from there. Over the beach we flew and over the first trees of the forest. We got halfway though when Ali and Peter began to descend.

"I think we're going to the hideout," I said, bowing my head towards the ground.

"Whoa," my friends both said as we made a change in the flying pattern.

The twigs of the trees gently brushed our shoulders and we flew past the many nests and hives of the Never animals. With a soft landing, our feet gently touched the green grass of the forest.

"Where's the hideout?" Lisa asked, looking around.

Peter smiled mischievously and walked up to a shorter tree. Looking around first, he reached up into the leaves of the tree and pulled down a long cord. As the cord reached his shoulder, a tree ahead of us revealed the opening of a door in the trunk.

Lisa and Elaine stared ahead at it in shock. I laughed and beckoned them to follow Peter and Ali into the tree.

Right as we stepped in, the door closed behind us and we were concealed in complete darkness. I was ready for what was going to happen, but Elaine and Lisa grabbed onto my arms. "Where are we?" Lisa whispered nervously.

All of a sudden, the floor gave out from under us and the two girls screamed. Ali and I laughed as we all flew down the cement slide. A couple seconds later and all of us piled out onto the floor of the hideout.

Right as we landed, the Lost Boys came pouring into the room, doing their Indian yells and excited calls. As they realized that there were more of us than usual, they started to quiet down and stare. Eventually, they were completely silent and they watched in shock as the two new girls stepped up from the floor, smiling excitedly at the boys.

"Lost Boys!" Peter announced. "These are our new guests, Elaine and Lisa."

There was a slight moment of silence as Elaine and Lisa grinned at the awestruck boys. Then at the same time, they ran towards our friends, yelling and laughing. Half of them attacked Lisa while the other half attacked Elaine. Everyone began to join in the laughter.

Over the entire ruckus, I saw Sky step into the room. He made eye contact with me right away and smiled his suave, side grin. I smiled back and we slowly began to walk towards each other. As I stopped in front of him and as he towered over me, he slowly grabbed my hand.

"How are you?" he asked quietly.

"Good." I pointed over my shoulder to Elaine and Lisa still being attacked. "Brought my new friends."

Sky laughed, looking at the pile. "I see that."

"Why don't I introduce you?" I began to walk him over to my friends, but he pulled me back and I cried out in surprise.

He put his forehead against mine. "Why don't you give me a kiss first?" he whispered.

I smiled and his lips touched mine. He opened his mouth and I suddenly felt chills rise up my arm. He put his hand on my face and I quietly moaned with the pleasure of it all. I felt him smile against my lips and he continued to kiss me as passionately as he could.

"Oooooooooooooooooo."

With a feeling of horror, Sky and I separated. We turned around to see that everybody had stopped and were now staring at us. I immediately turned red, but couldn't help but to laugh. Elaine and Lisa were wooing us too, but gave me an appreciative look.

Sky stepped in front of me with his arms up. "All right…all right. You've had your fun."

Everyone became quiet and he parted through the Lost Boys to get to Elaine. He held out his hand to her. "I'm Sky…it's nice to meet you."

She looked taken aback and gave me a surprised look. Then, she smiled and took his hand to shake it. "It's nice to meet you, too." Starting to giggle, she looked at me. "I've heard a lot about you."

Sky let go of her hand and started to turn towards me. "Have you?"

I held up my hand. "I haven't told her _that _much."

"Apparently," Sky said sarcastically. He then turned towards Lisa and shook her hand.

"Well, we've all had our introductions!" Peter announced from behind us. Everyone turned to look at him sitting at the head of the table. "What should we do for our new guests?"

"Beach!"

"The river!"

"Fairy Forest!"

"Camp ground!"

Everyone immediately became silent and Peter's face fell. Tootles was the last one to make the statement and he immediately stopped grinning. "Sorry…I forgot," he mumbled, looking down at his feet.

Elaine walked up next to me and whispered in my ear, "What's wrong with the camp ground?"

"I'll explain later," I whispered back.

Peter stood up from his chair and walked over to us, clearly trying to lighten the mood. "It is up to our guests." He smiled at Elaine and Lisa. "Where would you like to go?"

They looked at each other, searching for an answer.

"Well…" started Elaine.

Lisa stuttered, "Maybe…"

"They were interested in seeing pirates," I said hesitantly.

Sky scoffed. "That's not happening."

Lisa and Elaine's faces fell and I felt my heart drop.

"Aw, come on, Sky. Let's go. We can all fly over them," I started to say.

He looked at me like I was crazy. "Corie…why are you even suggesting this? Have you forgotten what happened last time we went there?"

"You know," Peter said, "if we flew over the ship, everything would go okay."

Sky turned to him. "Peter, Corie was kidnapped by Hook. If we go back there…"

"If we go back there, nothing will happen," Peter said consolingly. "We're only flying over and both Elaine and Ali want to go."

With a sigh, Sky started to shake his head. "I don't like this."

I walked up to him and slipped my hand into his. "It'll be fine," I said quietly. "I promise."

He looked at me for a second like he was going to protest, but then a smile spread across his face. "I guess we can go for a little bit."

The Lost Boys who had been listening intently for his answer suddenly started to hoot and cheer. Ali also cheered and ran over to Peter to be beside him. Elaine and Lisa smiled grins of gratitude to Sky and I squeezed his hand.

He looked down at me. "What?"

"Why were you so nervous?" I asked starting to smile.

He rolled his eyes, but a smirk spread across his face. "Why do you think?" He bent down and kissed the tip of my nose.

"Come on, you two! We're going to the pirate ship!" one of the Lost Boys cried ahead.

Still holding onto each other's hand Sky and I followed the rest of the group out of the hideout.

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"Just a little further!" Peter cried.

We were all flying in the air. Sky was holding onto one of my hands and Lisa was hanging on to the other. Every so often she would grasp tighter, looking nervous. After a while I started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" she asked frowning.

"You are. Why are you so nervous?"

"I don't know," she said sarcastically. "Maybe it's the fact that we're flying one hundred feet off the ground and we could fall any second."

Right as she made that statement Elaine had flown by doing somersaults though the air. "I don't know about you guys, but I think that I'm getting the hand of this."

Sky and I both laughed, but Lisa frowned again. "How are you so good at that?" she asked Elaine.

"You just got to trust yourself, Lisa." She flew towards us and wrenched our hands apart. "Loosen up." With that, she took off and flew forward to join Ali and Peter.

Lisa gasped as she realized she was alone, but after a few moments, she began to become comfortable. "This isn't so bad," she said innocently.

I laughed. "I told you."

She stuck her tongue out at me and flew forward with a loud hoot.

I laughed as I watched her play tag with the Lost Boys, and Sky slowly pulled me closer to him. I looked at him with wide eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Giving you a kiss in the air."

We kissed again and I suddenly felt like I was flying higher than anyone else. The kiss didn't last long, but Sky made sure to put a lot of passion in it and we pulled away breathing heavily.

"You're a good kisser," I said quietly, making sure no one was watching us.

"So are you." He kissed my forehead before we went back to our regular flying position.

"Here it is!" Peter suddenly called out.

We all looked down and I heard Elaine and Lisa gasp.

The pirate ship was floating in the crystal blue water below. Every few moments, different men would appear and disappear on the deck of the vast, wooden ship. Hook was no where in sight, and I felt a wave of chills hit my arms. Sky tightened the grip on my hand; I squeezed it to let him know I was fine.

The whole group landed on a fluffy, pink cloud, Elaine and Lisa giggling excitedly. "You really can land on these clouds," Elaine whispered.

"Can't you back home?" Peter asked.

The four of us laughed, but Peter just shrugged his shoulders and continued to look down at the pirate ship.

Ali grabbed onto his arm. "Could Hook see us from up here?"

"No. He's too far away." He looked at her with a smile. "The old man's vision is getting weak."

Ali laughed too and slightly squeezed his arm. They went back to watching the pirates and Elaine gave me a knowing smile. I smiled back and made sure to still hold onto Sky.

"Peter," Curly started reluctantly, "can't we…you know…" He swallowed, his eyes wide. "Can't we fly down overhead to see them a bit better?"

Some of the Lost Boys "oo-ed", including Elaine and Lisa, but Sky said in a flat tone, "No."

"Aw, come on, Sky!" Tootles cried out.

"Yeah, come on," the twins chimed in.

At once, an outbreak of argument started as the boys began to quarrel with Sky. I tried to tell him it was fine if we went, but the Lost Boys' voices broke over mine.

"You're not in charge! We can go if we want!"

"Elaine and Lisa want to go."

"I know that, but have you forgotten what happened before?"

"You're always bullying us just because you're the oldest. We want to go!"

Suddenly, Peter flew up from his lying position and towered over everyone else. Immediately, it became silent, and everyone looked up at him with nervous eyes.

He continued to stare at us for a minute, his hands on his hips. But then he relaxed, and he heaved a sigh. "I say it's up to Corie to decide."

Everyone's eyes flew to me and I felt my heart stop. "Oh, don't do that. It's up to you, Peter," I said.

"No. If you're nervous, we don't have to go."

I looked around the circle and saw that my friends and the Lost Boys were watching me anxiously, sitting on the tips of their knees. My eyes wandered on Sky and saw that he was looking at me with determined eyes, waiting for my answer. I felt guilt rise up in me, and I heaved a sigh. "We can go."

The Lost Boys cheered, and I saw my friends laugh with them. Sky dropped his head and started to shake it back and forth. I drew closer to him.

"Hey," I said quietly. He continued to ignore me. "Sky," I persisted.

He slowly lifted his head and looked at me. "Yeah?"

"Listen, I'll be fine. It's not that big of a deal. We're just flying over the ship."

Sky sighed and looked away from me. "I know that, but I can't just forget what happened last time."

The Lost Boys were still bouncing away on the cloud making it difficult to hear each other. "Sky, it'll be fine." I squeezed his hand. "I promise."

He slowly smiled and squeezed my hand back. "Yeah…" he said slowly. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just being dramatic." Sky flew up from the cloud and pulled me up with him. I screamed in surprise and he laughed. "Let's see how Hook is doing, boys!" he called out.

Everyone cheered and at the same time we all jumped from the fluffy, pink surface.

From each cloud, we all jumped and bounced on the pink surfaces to get closer and closer to Hook and his men. Sky held onto my hand and I noticed that Peter and Ali were doing the same.

"Stop at this cloud!" Peter cried over his shoulder.

The excited cries from the Lost Boys and my friends died out as Peter made his order. Stealthily, we all landed on the cloud, checking the deck for any unwanted eyes.

Peter's authority somehow had the ability to get us to gather in a circle around him, waiting for the next news. He turned around from the ship, his eyes alight with the excitement of it all. "Right, Hook is on deck now. You can see him from here."

At that, Elaine and Lisa eagerly moved to the edge of the cloud to look down. Some of the Lost Boys followed suit, including Peter and Ali.

"Oh my gosh," Lisa said under her breath.

"He's amazing," Elaine whispered.

I felt chills rise up my arm as I imagined the hollow, black eyes of James Hook. I could still feel his evil gaze upon my face. Slowly, I looked down into my lap to avoid those vacant eyes.

"He _is_ amazing," Ali said to our friends, "but very dangerous." I saw her gaze fall on me for a second. "He could haunt you for the rest of your lives if he wanted to."

"Is he really that bad?" Lisa asked tentatively.

Everyone slowly turned their heads toward me, but I did not have the words to describe the wrath of Hook. I continued to look down in my lap and play with my hands.

"Yes."

Everyone snapped their heads around to look at Peter. _ I_ even drew my head up.

His eyes were full of wonderment and he was still staring down at the ship. "Hook is that bad." Peter paused for a second. "He has the ability to bring back awful memories: memories I didn't even know he knew." He broke off weakly, and Ali reached forward to grab his hand.

There was a moment of silence as everyone now looked at Hook with new eyes. If he had the ability to scare the bravest one of the Lost Boys, then he must have been a horrific man.

"Do you think," Lisa broke the silence, "do you think…that we could get closer?"

Peter's eyes still remained on the ship, acting like he didn't hear her. However, after a minute, he came out of his trance and started to look over at Lisa. His eyes were still glazed over, but he answered her clearly. "Of course."

"Peter…are you sure?" Ali asked in concern.

"Yes," Peter said almost defiantly. "I'm sure."

He stood up from the cloud and everyone imitated him. No one dared to speak until Peter gave us the next instruction. He looked down at the ship and without warning spun around to look at all of us. "We can fly over the ship but once the cannons are out we have to leave."

"Cannons?" Elaine asked fearfully.

Peter looked at her and his eyes softened. "Don't worry." A smile spread across his face. "We can always escape."

She smiled and stood closer to Lisa.

"Let's go!" Peter cried out. He jumped from the cloud, his arms flying from his side.

The Lost Boys piled off, flying into the air. I followed them, Sky next to me, and flew off of the cloud. I laughed as the wind tossed up my hair and my feet left the soft surface. Sky looked at me and laughed as well.

"Go lower!" Peter cried against the wind.

"Lower?!" I heard Ali yell. "Are you sure this is safe?"

"I'm positive!"

He bowed down towards the ship and the large group made a dipping formation towards the deck. Peter flew a little ahead of us, a smile on his face. "Oh, Captain Hook!"

The whole of the crew snapped their heads up. My eyes fell upon Hook and he scanned the sky for Peter. A few stray clouds were still lurking around and it was hard to spot us.

We flew from behind a large group of clouds and Hook's eyes widened. "Hey, Captain!" Peter yelled.

"Get out the guns!" Hook screamed to his crew. The deck immediately became lively. There was bustling everywhere as the weapons were drawn from each and every hole in the ship.

Throughout this whole process, Peter just laughed and flew. We all followed him, staring at him in awe. How could he be so brave? Peter circled the ship, cracking up at the crew as they spun to see us.

"Getting dizzy, Hook?" Peter asked.

"Yeah…getting dizzy?" the twins asked.

The Lost Boys, now realizing we were safe, had the courage to talk down on Hook. Everyone began to laugh and cry out the Lost Boy crow to the crew. Even Sky let out a high-pitched yell.

Suddenly, two or three cannons emerged from one of the rooms on deck and everyone became silent. However, Peter showed no fear. "Oooo…those look bigger than the last ones, Hooky," he said, grabbing onto one of the ropes of the ship. "How far can they shoot?"

Hook started to step closer to where Peter was floating. "All the way to your stupid, little hideout," he hissed.

Peter let go of the rope with a laugh. "We all know you have no idea where our hideout is. So, give up, old man."

"Kill them!" Hook cried.

The cannonballs were beginning to take their place in the weapons, and Peter flew up to our safe spot. "Come on; let's go." He looked down at the ship with a smirk. "We've had our fun." He grabbed onto Ali's hand and the two of them flew up straight into the air.

The Lost Boys hooted and yelled back at the crew and followed Peter. Sky grabbed onto my hand and smiled at me. "Was that fun?"

I smiled back. "Surprisingly, it was."

He squeezed my hand and the two of us soared up into the pink, fluffy clouds.

Elaine and Lisa looked back at us with huge grins, silently thanking me for bringing them. I smiled back at them and they turned to laugh and joke with the rest of the boys.

I looked back one last time at Hook's ship. All I saw was a cursing man in his blood, red suit and the crew sitting sulkily on the cannons. I laughed and turned back to look up at the beautiful, blue sky.


	13. Falling in Love

Falling in Love

All of us landed back in front of the hideout, Elaine and Lisa still laughing at the feeling flying gave you.

"I still can't get over that this is happening," Elaine said, looking around at everyone.

The Lost Boys laughed, and Lisa nodded in agreement.

"How about you try some Never food?" Peter suggested.

The Lost Boys cheered and ran inside the hideout. All of us followed, suddenly beginning to feel the rumbling of our stomachs.

Before we reached the entrance to the house, Sky pulled my hand to take me away from the rest of the group. The laughter of the boys faded away from me, and I heard the door shut.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, as we walked across the crunchy leaves.

He just smiled at me and continued to lead me to an unknown destination.

I had never gone to this part of the forest. The trees were much shorter and instead of being green, had pink petals falling from them, like they were permanently spring trees. The leaves changed to soft, lush-green grass, and my feet appreciated the change. The sun shone more clearly and Sky's dirty blonde head shone brighter. He finally stopped, and I looked around to see where we were.

I didn't see anything special. In fact, all I saw were trees and blades of grass, yet Sky was looking down at me, waiting for a response.

I looked up at him. "Well, what are we doing?"

"I want to show you something," he said, his bright teeth shining.

"What?"

He bent down and started rifling through the blades of grass, obviously searching for something. I backed away, making it easier for him to find. Suddenly, his hands stopped searching, and he raised a small box out of the tall, grass roots.

"What is that?" I asked eagerly.

He smiled and pulled me down with him as he sat. Before taking off the lid, he looked at me for a second, his bright eyes twinkling, and then he lifted off the top.

I almost expected something shiny, something that looked like treasure, but instead, I saw many photographs: a baby girl, two parents, Christmas cards, smiling faces. There was one on top that Sky lifted out and handed to me.

It was a picture of a girl; she was young, about mid-twenties; she had light hair, a bright smile, and dark eyes, dark eyes that reminded me of someone I cared for very much.

I gasped and looked up into the eyes of Sky. "She's your sister," I breathed. He smiled, and I looked back down at the picture. "And she's…"

"Getting married? Yes," Sky answered.

I lightly touched the long, white dress that fit so beautifully on Sky's sister. She was looking up at us with so much light and happiness in her eyes.

"She's lovely," I whispered.

"I know." We were both silent for a second, both staring at the picture. "Peter went back after dropping you two off yesterday. The window was open, and I guess many of the wedding pictures were left on my parent's desk."

As happy as the situation was, I couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I continued to stare at the picture, but Sky must have sensed my hesitation, because he touched my arm and asked, "What's wrong?"

I shook my head and kept looking at the photo. "Nothing," I said, my voice slightly shaking.

Sky laughed. "Come on, Corie. I know when something's the matter."

I stayed silent for a moment, but I could feel the tension in Sky's waiting. I finally looked up at him, the words spilling from my mouth.

"How can you look at this picture and not feel awful that you're not at home, celebrating your sister's wedding? How can you possibly imagine the rest of your life not being able to meet your brother-in-law, your nieces, and your nephews? How can you sit here in Neverland when back at home, your sister, your mother, your father, are all waiting for the day when they are able to finally figure out what happened to you as a baby?"

The words had all been said very quickly and had left me breathless. I stared up at Sky, the silence making me more and more anxious. The light had gone from Sky's eyes, and a slight chill was exuded from him. He looked down into his lap and did not say a word.

I sighed and began to shake my head. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "It's none of my business."

"You're right." My head shot up to look at Sky, because his words had surprised me. He looked back at me with a defiant look. "I bet it's so easy for you to say all that to me."

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice rising a little.

"You, Corie, who, back at home, is loved by every, single member of your family. You have two sisters who you consider your best friends. Both of your parents care for you and treat you the way you should be treated."

"Sky, I didn't mean…"

"You have no idea what it's like to not have a family," Sky suddenly shot out. I backed away from him, but he continued to vent. "Every day of my life, I come to this spot in these woods; I open this box; I take out the pictures, and I imagine myself in every still frame." His voice shook, but he pressed on. "I wish that they knew how much I want to be a part of their lives, but they will never know. Until the day they die, I will continue to pretend that I am still the son that they wanted to love and care for."

"They _still _want you to be a part of their lives; they're waiting for you to get home."

"Not really, Corie! If they had wanted me to be a part of their lives, they would have kept looking for me, instead of sitting in front of the window, passing their days with open smiles and hearty laughs." A tear fell from the corner of Sky's lap, landing on my knee.

"Sky-," I started.

He finally looked at me, and his stare was pained and lost. "It kills me to see my sister and not be able to celebrate her special day with her. It kills me that I will never be able to meet my future nieces and nephews. All of that really destroys me, Corie." I didn't say anything, but just placed my hand on his knee.

"And it kills me that you're going back," Sky said quietly. My heart stopped, and I took my hand away. "Every day I pray for you to stay with me."

I looked down at my hands and felt an ache in my heart. "Sky," I whispered.

"You're going back home. You're going to leave me just the way my family left me."

The petals continued to fall, making a soft _padding_ noise each time they landed on the grass. Sky and I stared at each other, waiting for the other one to say something. No words were in my mind; I was completely speechless.

Finally, Sky gently grabbed my hand and looked me in the face. "It kills me that you're leaving, because I…I…" He took a deep breath, his chest rising against his shirt. "Because I love you."

Chills ran across every surface of my body, and I felt tears rise to my eyes. I tightened my grip on Sky's hand, and a feeling rose up inside me that I have never felt before: I felt the need to be in the grasp of this man; I felt every passionate desire as I stared into the face of Sky; I suddenly knew what I was feeling.

"I love you, too," I whispered, a tear falling from my eye. Sky slowly smiled, but I continued to talk. "I've known it all along, since I first saw you." As I said the words, I knew they were true.

"Me too," Sky said.

I took the box out of Sky's lap and placed it beside him on the grass. He looked at me in bewilderment, and I did not answer. I simply placed myself in his lap and rested my head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, and I felt that same feeling of chills.

"Do you believe there is one person made for you in the entire world?" I asked, quietly.

Sky didn't answer for a second, but I already knew his answer. "Yes."

I smiled. "Do you believe…?"

"Yes."

"What?"  
Sky kissed the top of my head. "I believe you're the one made for me."

That was when I knew it. I might have known it all along, but my mind and my heart finally told me that Sky was the one I was born to be with. Of all of the 3 billion or so people on the planet, Sky and I had been brought together, and that was a true miracle.

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Sky and I walked back to the hideout, hand-in-hand, tear stains still on my cheeks. What had happened in the forest was never to be mentioned again; it was a silent agreement between Sky and me.

Neither of us did mention my leaving. It was too quick to bring it up. I knew it was going to happen soon, but I did not have the heart to discuss such things.

As we made it to the door, Sky stopped me. I looked up at him with a knowing smile on my face, and he smiled back.

Very gracefully, he picked me up and kissed me. I lifted my feet in the air as we shared one of our greatest kisses.

He placed me back on the ground and grinned at me, his light hair fanned over his eyes. Pulling the cord, Sky managed to open the door to the hideout. I looked into the darkness and pulled on Sky's hand to go through the chute.

He stopped me though, and I looked back at him. "What are you doing?"

"There's another way to get down there, you know," he said laughing. He moved a little to the left and pushed against what I thought was solid wall.

The wall fell away and swung open like a door, and I saw stairs leading down to the lightened room below. "Why didn't you tell me that before?" I asked, frowning at him.

Sky continued to laugh and pulled me in front of him to go down first. "I thought it was funny," he said.

We walked down the wooden stairs, and even before we reached the last step, we could hear the shouts and laughter of the Lost Boys. As the two of us stepped into the room, everyone seated around the table looked up.

"Hey, where were you?!" Ali cried from the other end of the table.

"Sky had to show me something," I said, walking towards an empty chair.

My friends looked a little closer at me, almost like they knew I was keeping something from them. I merely smiled and took a seat near the end of the table, Sky sitting right beside me.

Peter got up from the other end and whistled loudly. Immediately, everyone went silent and stared up at the blonde-haired leader. He smiled and put his hands on his hips. "Elaine and Lisa have seen enough of the hideout. Where else should we take them?"

A majority of the boys cried out, "The beach!"

Peter held up his hands to quiet them down, and their yells ceased. "All right, we can go to the beach."

"Wait a second," Lisa said, looking preoccupied. "I didn't bring a bathing suit."

Ali and I laughed, and Lisa looked at us confused. Ali answered for her. "You don't need one; trust me."

Lisa nodded, still looking a little confused, but everyone rose from the table, ready to have a fun time at the beach.

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"So, what were you _really_ doing?"

All three of my girl friends had hoarded me as we got out of the hideout. Sky had given me a significant look, but still walked ahead to let us talk with a smile on his face.

I sighed, yet a smile spread across my face. "It's kind of private."

They immediately retorted. "What?!" Ali cried out. "I told you everything that happened with Peter."

"Yeah, come on!" Lisa whined.

"I tell you everything!" Elaine said, grabbing onto my arm.

"Yeah, I know, but this is different…this is…" Sky's face popped into my mind, and I felt a smile graze my lips. "This is special," I said quietly.

We still continued to walk, and I saw my friends give each other looks. "Wow, it must have been pretty good," Lisa said.

"Why do you say that?" I asked, looking up at her.

"I've never seen you look so happy before."

Elaine and Ali nodded in agreement, staring at me with smiles. "Did he…?" Ali started, but she shook her head.

"No, go ahead. What were you going to say?" I urged her.

She looked up at me. "Did he tell you he loves you?"

Elaine and Lisa's eyes widened, waiting for my answer. I looked at all three faces, and I nodded my head.

All of them screamed, grabbing onto my hands. "Calm down!" I said.

"And you said it back?" Elaine asked.

"Of course she did," Lisa answered for me. "Look at her."

They looked at me again, and I felt myself go red. "Stop it!" I looked forward to see if Sky had noticed. His back was turned from us, but he was walking with a little spring in his step that I had not noticed before.

Elaine sighed. "Aw, I'm so happy for you."

"Listen, guys, you know how I've always believed in _the _one. The person that only a few people meet. The one you're born to be with." I had made my voice a little quieter, so as Sky couldn't hear us.

"Yeah."

I hesitated. "Sky is that person for me."

Ali's dark eyes brightened. "You think that Sky is your soul mate?"

I nodded, and again, my friends all squealed. "What about you, Ali?" I asked, looking down at my short friend. "Do you think that Peter is your soul mate?"

She looked at the back of Peter, her eyes full of wonderment. She thought for a second and then looked back up at me. She answered, "I don't think so." Elaine and Lisa made noises of disappointment, but Ali held up her hand. "But that doesn't mean I don't love him."

"So, you _do_ love him?" Elaine asked.

Ali's bright teeth shone as she smiled. "Listen, I knew right away that Sky and Corie were meant to be. I mean, you can just tell when you see the couple. With Peter and me, I mean, it's the greatest I've ever felt, and I love him, but…" She looked up at me. "I think only a rare few meet _the _one."

I felt my heart beat as fast as it had before when Sky held me. The four of us walked ahead to walk with the rest of the group. I made sure to kiss Sky on the cheek as I slipped my hand into his.

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The group ran onto the sand, clothes flying everywhere as the boys flew towards the water. Sky had even run ahead with everyone else, stripping his shirt off of him, but leaving his flannel shorts on.

My three friends and I took our time, choosing the clothes that were appropriate to take off. I left my cami and shorts on and then ran to the water to dive in after everyone else.

The waves weren't as rough as they were before, so I dove in quite easily. Peter was already as far out as the most distant rock. Most of the Lost Boys had stayed close to shore and were now starting a splashing battle.

Elaine and Lisa joined in on the water fight, making sure to dunk some of the Lost Boys. I laughed as I saw Lisa pull Sky down with a cruel, yet effective pull of the hair. He broke the surface with a gasp and stared at Lisa in shock.

"You pulled my hair," he said surprisingly.

Lisa mischievously grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "Woops!" She swam away before Sky could do anything.

I looked over the fight and saw that Ali was swimming out to Peter. He had flown a little above the water to help her get out far, and I faintly smiled.

"What are you smiling at?" Sky whispered at me.

I looked up at him and couldn't help the chills as I looked at his nicely, wet hair and how toned his tan body looked in the water.

It seemed he read my mind because he suddenly grinned and came closer to me. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing," I sneered at him, a smile still crossing my face.

Sky, very abruptly, hoisted me into his arms, and I quietly screamed. "What are you doing?" I asked.

He just squeezed me harder and tightened his arms around my back more. I laughed and put my arms around his neck. "You're catching on," he whispered.

I smiled again and kissed him.

Something about him holding me in the water made me feel more desire for him than I've ever felt for him. I wished at that moment that everyone was gone, and it was just Sky and me.

He pulled me away from him, and without a word, soundly dunked me into the water.

The cold water hit my face, and I resurfaced to a laughing Sky. "I'm sorry, love. I just…I just…" He doubled over with more laughter.

"You little…" I came towards him and threw all of my force on him. However, he still didn't budge. "Go under!" I kept pushing on his head, but he reached up and threw me down into the water again.

"How do you do that?" I cried in exasperation.

He shrugged. "I'm just strong like that."

I laughed, and for the next couple minutes, all of us friends continued to have our intense, yet fun water fight.

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"I don't want to go back."

"Yeah, me either!"

Elaine and Lisa were holding onto my arms as the huge group and I walked back to the hideout.

All of us were completely dry, and we held onto our pajamas as we stepped on the smooth grass of the forest.

I laughed. "I know, you guys; we'll let you come one more time."

"That's it?!" Elaine said.

"Elaine," Lisa started, in a higher voice, "Ali and Corie were nice enough to let us come at all. We should be grateful that we're coming back for one more time."

Elaine sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

I laughed again. "You guys really like it _that _much?"

They both looked at me with astounded eyes. "Are you kidding me?!" Elaine cried.

"What?" I asked.

"This place is _amazing!_ How could you not like it?"

"It's so true," Lisa said. "This place seems like a dream." Her eyes glazed over, and she let them wander over the tops of the shadowing trees. "I feel like any minute now, I'm gonna wake up, and this is all going to be a dream."

I patted her arm, and she looked up at me. "Trust me," I said quietly. "It's not."

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Making dinner was a fiasco. The Lost Boys were running everywhere with full pots full of steaming, succulent food. My stomach growled with hunger as Sky passed me with treasures and treasures of mounting heaps.

He placed the plates on the table and turned around to see me drooling at the sight. "You hungry?" he asked laughing.

I looked at him and frowned, but I couldn't help but laugh as he continued to stifle his laughter. "Shut up, I'm hungry," I said feebly.

"Awwww," he said mockingly. Sky came towards me and kissed me on the top of the head. "Well, it'll all be done in a minute. Don't worry." He walked away with a smirk on his face.

About ten minutes later, we were all seated at the table, waiting for Peter to give us the okay to eat. Elaine was on my one side and Slightly on the other. Lisa and Sky were on the other side of the table.

Peter came out of the kitchen with a drink in his hand. We all watched him with bated breath. He slowly walked towards the table, sat down at the head chair, and then looked up at all of us. For a minute, he didn't say anything, and one could almost hear all the grumbles of stomachs at the table. He finally smiled and said plainly, "Dig in."

Suddenly, there were the sounds of "Pass me the boar" and "Pass me the fairy milk," and many people were already beginning to scrape against their plates with their forks and knives.

I reached with my own hands towards different dishes that I hadn't tried before, and I made sure to pour myself a glass of some fairy milk. I was just about to dig in, when I realized that Elaine and Lisa didn't have anything on their plates. They were staring at the white canvas of their no food status and were looking very saddened.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my mouth full of food.

Elaine shrugged her shoulders. "We don't know what any of this stuff is," she said quietly.

"No offense," Lisa said, opening one of the lids, "some of this looks pretty disturbing and gross."

I laughed. "It's not; trust me. Sky!" I called.

Sky looked up from his food, his cheeks full as a chipmunk. I started to giggle, and he smiled and chewed up the rest of the food in his mouth. "What?" he asked wearily as I still laughed.

"Can you get food for Lisa and Elaine?"

He looked over at them. "Oh, sure," he said enthusiastically and began to pick up different pots and pans for my friends.

At first, the two of them looked very reluctant to bite into some of the different foods offered to them, but over time, it looked like they were enjoying what was going into their mouths.

"What's this drink called?" Elaine asked, her eyes alight as she stared at the pitcher of sparkling liquid.

"That's fairy's milk," Sky answered.

"Fairy's…?"

"Don't ask," Sky interrupted her, handing her the pitcher, "just drink it."

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It was after dinner, and the table was a mess. We had basically destroyed every single pot that contained food. The fairy's milk was all out; Lisa and Elaine had made sure of that.

"That was delicious!" Lisa exclaimed.

"Yeah, it was good," Elaine said, looking weary.

"What's wrong?" I asked laughing.

"I don't feel well. I ate _way _too much."

The rest of the table laughed, and everyone got up to start cleaning. Elaine stood up and came to clear plates beside me. "So, what are we doing after this?"

This caused an immediate uproar from the Lost Boys. "Fairy Forest!" all of their voices yelled at once.

Elaine laughed and looked at me. "What's Fairy Forest?"

"You'll see." I picked up my plate which had a variety of scraps on it. "It's amazing," I whispered, thinking back at the last time I had been there.

As though he had read my mind, Sky looked up from his cleaning and smiled at me. I smiled back and continued to help my friend clean up our dinner.

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"Fairy Forest, here we come!" Slightly yelled right as we stepped outside.

"It's a perfect night," Sky said next to me, holding onto my hand.

"It is," I said quietly.

The group walked through the woods, listening to the different night sounds: the hooting of an owl, the slight whistling of the wind passing through the leaves, and the clicking cicadas hanging from their different trees.

As we walked a little farther, more and more lights were beginning to surround us. I felt my heart beat with excitement.

"Are these fireflies?" Lisa asked as a fairy lighted itself right beside her head.

"If they are, they're huge!" Elaine exclaimed.

Ali and I both laughed, but Ali stopped first. "They aren't fireflies, you guys."

"Then what are they?" Lisa asked.

"They're fairies." The group stopped in the main clearing where most of the fairies danced around. Ali extended her arms. "Welcome to Fairy Forest!"

_I'm really bad at updating, you guys. Sorry! I'll try to go as fast as you can. Hope you're enjoying it!_


	14. The Love for Neverland

Wow

_Wow! That was a long time! Again, I apologize for taking so long to update. I have a valid excuse this time: my parents were out of town and I had to stay at a friend's house for two weeks. I'll make it up to you! Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are the sweetest._

The Love for Neverland

As we walked through the enchanting wood, there seemed to be a serene silence enveloping us. The two new visitors of Neverland stared at the sight before them, their mouths agape. The fairies came near us, almost as if they were curious as to why we were there. The night stars twinkled down on us, winking every now and then.

Sky came back to take my hand. I couldn't help the feeling of chills that ran up my arms as he smiled through his wind-tossed hair.

Elaine and Lisa walked ahead, obviously getting the point, in which Peter and Ali also grabbed hands.

Peter pulled Ali with him, taking her deeper into the forest, where they could be alone.

Sky squeezed my hand, with a knowing look in his eye. I smiled, and he led me down a different path of the woods.

As we left the main area of the Fairy Forest, the laughter of the Lost Boys, Elaine, and Lisa died out. We were alone. Yet, we were surrounded. The fairies came closer and closer to my head, and I felt a slight desire to gently wave them away.

"Are you scared of them?" Sky asked in a leeringly way.

"No," I said.

Sky frowned.

"Okay…they're kind of scary. Have you ever seen _The Labyrinth?"_

"The…what?"

"Never mind."

We stopped walking, and Sky looked around, as if he were looking for something…or someone.

"What's wrong?" I asked, squeezing his hand.

He looked down at me, his eyes draining of matter and filling instead with placidity. He smiled. "Nothing's wrong." He leaned towards me. "Everything is perfect."

Our lips met, and I couldn't remember ever feeling so…happy. There just wasn't any other word to describe the way I felt with Sky. He made me feel more alive than any other moment I had shared in my life.

It may have been seconds…minutes even, when I started to realize we were floating.

"Oh my God!" I cried out, grabbing Sky's shoulders.

He looked down, laughing in surprise. "You're still getting used to flying, Corie?"

"It's not that." I met his eyes. "I just didn't expect that to happen," I whispered.

Sky shrugged his shoulders. "Sometimes it happens." His eyes lit with content. "When you don't even realize how happy you are."

I laughed at that and then kissed his soft lips again. He smiled against mine and held me closer against him.

We rose higher into the air, and I tightened my grip around his. His strong arms brought safety and security to mine, and I wasn't scared anymore; as long as I was in Sky's arms, I knew that no wrong would come to us.

Sky suddenly broke from the kiss. "Oh my God," he said in a hushed voice. His eyes were glancing over my shoulder, and I turned around.

Sky and I had risen into the tall canopies of the trees, and what we saw now was a tree house: a rusted, unkempt resort that had obviously not been used in years. For all that, there was still a thrilling air surrounding it; I could almost hear the laughter and games that had been inside this tree house.

I whispered, "What is that?"

"It's my tree house."

I turned my head to Sky. "This is yours?"

He nodded. "Peter and I built it," he said, "once we were old enough the fly this high."

I looked back at the amazing contraption. "It's spectacular!"

"Come on; let's go on it."

I hesitated. "Are you sure it's safe?"

Sky shrugged. "Pretty…"

"Pretty sure or pretty safe?"

Sky rolled his eyes. "Just get on the dang balcony, Corie."

After glowering at Sky, I flew from his arms to the railing of the wooden balcony. I gently shook the grip to check the sturdiness. The wood stayed pretty firm.

"I think it's safe."

"I told you, dum dum," Sky said, flying over my head to land on the balcony.

I flew over the railing to land beside him. The boards immediately creaked underneath our weight. "Yikes," I cringed.

"It's fine." Sky slipped his hand into mine. "You're safe."

He looked amused before taking his hand out of mine and then walked forward into the enclosed room of the tree house.

"Wow! I forgot how well we did," Sky's muffled voice yelled out.

I looked down at the rotting boards. "Uh huh," I said nervously.

Sky's head stuck out from the inner room. "Are you going to come in or stand out there all night?" he teased.

I frowned at him.

He laughed. "What's wrong?"

"Is it safe in there?"

Again, Sky rolled his eyes but a beam spread across his face. "Come on, Corie; not everything is made of gold in this world." He went back into the room.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, taking careful steps inside.

The inner room was pretty large, about as big as my living room back at home. All the furniture was coated in dust, yet there was an eerie beauty about it all. Beanbags were set up in each of the corners, and what looked like games were lying beneath an oak-paneled coffee table. Sky stood in the middle of the room, his arms out to his side.

"Well, do you like it?"

I glanced around the room. While nodding I said, "Yeah, it's great."

Sky must have heard the rise in my pitch, because he narrowed his eyes. "What was that?"

Our eyes met. "What was what?"

He crossed across the room to where I was standing. "That…tone of yours."

I shrugged my shoulders, a playful smile at my lips. "I didn't have any tone." I gestured toward the small sofa. "I think it's great…all this…dust."

I started to giggle, and Sky started to grudgingly laugh too. "Peter and I worked _very_ hard," he said in a defeated voice, looking around the room.

"Awww!" I said, wrapping my arms around his neck. "I didn't mean to make you upset."

Sky grinned down at me, that sexy grin of his making me get chills…as always. "You know," he said in a seductive tone, "this room wasn't just built for games."

We stared at each other for a second before Sky's lips crashed against mine. I gasped in surprise but immediately responded to the kiss. Our lips parted against each others, and I could feel every single ounce of passion that Sky had for me in this one kiss. Chills rose up my arms and continued up the rest of my body. I playfully moaned from the pleasure of it all.

Sky smiled against my lips and hoisted me up into his arms. Making sure not to disturb any second of our kiss, he kept his lips locked onto mine. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he began to carry me towards the couch.

He opened his mouth against mine, and I gasped again from how extravagant all of this was. He smiled again and then we fell back onto the couch.

Right as my back hit the sofa, dust enveloped us. That was when we parted. I began to crack up, so hard that I couldn't breathe. Laughter was pouring from my mouth, and Sky looked down at me, laughing just as equally hard.

"Yeah, really good place, Sky," I panted.

He grinned. "I think that it's great."

My laughter started to slow down. "No…no," I said, out of breath. "I really do like it." I turned my head to the beanbags. "It's really comfortable."

"And that's all that matters."

We got back to our kissing…the passionate kissing that had surprised me, yet strangely satisfied me. The way Sky's strong arms held me as his soft lips enveloped mine left me completely breathless. I felt like I was in a dream: a dream that involved passion, desire, and love.

Sky left my lips and went to my neck. The tingling that rose up my neck and face left me giggling, and I tightened my grip on him. As he continued to kiss my neck, his hand went down to my shirt, and he began to slowly lift it off.

I looked down at it for a second, and he met my eyes. "Is it okay?" he whispered.

I smiled. "Of course."

And with that, my shirt was off. He wrapped his strong arms across my bare back, and those tingling chills came back.

I reached down to take his shirt off, and he helped me pull it off his arms. His body was tan and nicely toned, and it felt justly warm against mine; it was just right.

The time passed, for I don't know how long, but each second of it was pure bliss. Sky's hand reached across my bar strap right as someone called out, "Corie!" from below.

We both stopped, yet our lips were still pressed against each other. Both our eyes popped open, and we stared at each other. Another second and "Corie!" was yelled again from what sounded like Lisa looking for me.

With glum, we separated. "How long have we been up here?" I asked, reaching for my shirt.

Sky stood up to put on his shirt. "I don't know; I guess longer than I thought."

I stared at his profile as he covered up his muscular body. He turned around to see me looking. I smiled at him and put my shirt on over my bra.

Sky crouched down beside me and kissed me softly on the lips. His eyes bore into mine. He whispered, "We'll get back to this later."

I kissed him. "Promise?"

His eyes twinkled. "I promise."

"CORIE?!"

I sighed. "I better go; she sounds pretty desperate."

I ran to the balcony and quickly yelled out, "I'm here! I'll be right down."

Sky came out to join me. Slipping his hand in mine, he said, "It figures we were interrupted."

I laughed. "I know…I'm sorry. Don't worry; we'll do it again."

"I know."

Unsaid words were flying between each other, yet we completely understood what the other was thinking. We had said we both loved each other that day; everything was different now. No matter what would happen on later in life, Sky would always and forever be my first love.

He grinned, and his white teeth flashed through the darkness. Chills rose up my arms, and I went towards him.

Sky wrapped his arms around me, and I rested my head against his chest. Heat rose from his body, and the sound of his heartbeat pressed upon my ears. He softly ran his fingers through my hair, brushing away the soft tresses.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too."

And for the last time that night, he popped up my chin and kissed me right on the lips.

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"Where the hell were you?" Lisa interrogated at me. "I was scared that you were kidnapped or something!"

I couldn't help but to smile at her paranoia. "Didn't you see me leaving with Sky?"

"Well, yes…but something still could've happened. Don't ever do that again!"  
"I can't promise that."

She looked at me with malicious eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Sky wants to bring me back there," I said quietly. "You know…to be alone." I tried to make my voice steady, but it slightly shook when I said the last two words.

Lisa's head swung around to look at me. Slowly, a smile began to spread across her face. I turned away so she wouldn't catch my reddening cheeks.

"'To be alone?' What do you mean?"

I shrugged my shoulders commonly. "Just…alone."

In the silence between us, I could see Lisa's eyes lightening with understanding. She stared at me with a broad smile and held up her pointer finger. "Oh…my…God!" she cried out.

"What?" I asked, smiling.

"You're going to do it with him!"

Her cry echoed around the trees, and I pulled down her arm. "Shut up! You're so freaking loud!"

She ignored me, and her delighted rant continued. "You're going to do it with Sky- that's it…isn't it? I can't believe this! Oh my God. That would be so romantic. I'm so excited for you." Suddenly, she stopped, and her eyes went from being lit with eagerness to being lit with anguish. She said quietly, "Oh my goodness…I disrupted you guys, didn't I?"

I didn't understood what she meant at first, but then I realized she was referring to calling my name by the tree house.

"Oh…its fine, bud; don't worry about it."

Yet, she shook her head, her eyes still wide. "I can't believe I ruined that moment for you!"

I laughed. "Lisa, its fine! Seriously!" She stared at me. "I'm kind of glad we didn't do it tonight. I want to know what I'm ready for."

She seemed less upset, yet she still had a felonious look on her face. "So…you really want to do it? I mean, you really want to sleep with someone for the first time?"

I said the answer, knowing perfectly well that it was the right thing to say. "Yes," I said quietly. Lisa began to smile. "Sky is the right one."

Right then, we walked into the main clearing of the Fairy Woods, and everyone was standing around, saying their goodbyes to Ali and Elaine. Lisa and I walked towards them, and Elaine saw me.

She gasped and ran towards me. "God, where were you?! We were all freaking out!"

"I'll tell you later," I muttered, as the surrounding Lost Boys looked at us curiously.

Ali asked me the same thing as I walked by her, and I gave her the same answer. She nodded and went back to her goodbye with Peter.

The Lost Boys all gathered around me for a hug.

"You'll be here tomorrow?" Tootles asked, his eyebrows popped up.

"Of course," I said smiling.

"And Elaine and Lisa?" Slightly added.

I turned my head around to look at my two friends. They were both absent-mindedly grazing the bark of the trees with an almost wanting look in their eyes. The two of them were both absorbing every last bit of Neverland, knowing that they were never to come back. I looked closer at Lisa and saw that her eyes were glistening.

Looking back at Tootles, I realized how much guilt I felt inside me for my friends. Yet, there was a certain bond between Ali and I, and I knew that only she and I could really come back for the rest of the times.

Sighing, I said, "No, Elaine and Lisa won't be coming back."

Most of the Lost Boys' eyes widened, and they began asking me questions concerning my friends. Only one of them was looking at me with a face of complete understanding: Slightly. I felt a sudden rush of gratitude towards him, and I smiled gently at him. He smiled back, his adorably crooked teeth shining in the dark.

"I know…I know, I'm sorry," I said, trying to quiet the boys. "But Ali and I will be back tomorrow night."

This seemed to brighten up some of their faces, and they nodded in agreement. Soon after though, they were in Elaine and Lisa's arms, giving them sad farewells.

As I walked behind the tearful group, I saw Tootles grab Lisa by the arm. He said, in a very quiet voice, "Never say good-bye, because saying good-bye means going away, and going away means forgetting."

Lisa stared at him for a second in a mixture of shock and admiration. Then, she took him in his arms and held him tight.

I turned away from the scene, surprised to feel tears in my eyes. _"Five days, Corie. You have five more days."_

However, looking at how hard it was for my two friends to leave, who had only spent one day in Neverland, made me wonder: how could I possibly live with the known thought of never coming back to Neverland?

I thought back on Tootle's words and knew that I had heard them before. But from what…I could not place my finger on.

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Peter was flying the four of us back to our hotel room. Elaine and Lisa were flying of their own accord, silent tears on their cheeks: it was a night that they would always remember.

The town was a silent one as we landed on our balcony. Not knowing what time it was, the four of us looked into the night sky, almost as if there would be a giant clock sitting up there.

"How long were we in Neverland?" Elaine asked in a hoarse whisper.

"Not long enough," Lisa whispered back.

Ali and I gave each other significant looks but looked away quickly.

Peter turned to Lisa, who was closer to him. "It was nice meeting you." He held out his hand to her.

Lisa tightened her face so as to avoid more tears. She held out her hand also and took Peter's. "Thank you so much," she said quietly, her voice shaking. She gave out a sobbed laugh. "I'm sorry I made fun of your clothes."

The four of us reluctantly chuckled, and Peter let go of her hand. He then turned to Elaine to shake her hand.

Elaine stared at his hand for a second and then flew into his arms. Ali and I laughed, and Peter looked very taken aback.

"Thank you," Elaine said in her muffled voice.

"You're welcome."

Elaine let go, and Lisa and her walked inside quickly to escape crying.

Ali and I looked at each other again, and then the two of us sighted Peter. He shrugged his shoulders. "Didn't think it was going to be that hard for them."

"Neither did I," Ali whispered.

Looking at her, I knew was she was thinking. Her fingers began to count up to five.

"I'm going to go in," I suddenly said.

Ali and Peter came out of their trances.

"Oh…all right. I'll be right in," Ali stated.

"Okay." I smiled at Peter and walked through the door of the balcony.

Elaine and Lisa were lying in their bed, facing the wall. They were both silent, but occasionally, their backs would shudder, causing the bed to slightly shake. I gave a sad smile to no one in particular and went to lie down in the bed.

As my head hit the pillow, the red glare of the alarm clock shone against my face. I stared at it, the numbers rushing together like an eerie river, and it stared back at me; it was showing me how little time I had left.

I rolled over onto my other side to the window and saw the shadow of Peter fly into the air. To avoid talking, I quickly shut my eyes as Ali walked inside, and I felt a tear slide down my nose onto my cheek.

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"Wake up."

My eyes slowly opened, and Ali was standing over me, rubbing her eyes. "We slept right through the alarm," she said hoarsely.

I shot up. "I slept in?!"

Ali gave a weak laugh. "No, silly-it just went off. I wanted you to know."

My heart stopped racing, and I looked over to our friends' bed. The two spots were clear, and neither one of them were in the room.

"Where are they?" I asked.

Suddenly, laughter came from the bathroom. I couldn't help but feel relief that they were in a better mood again.

"If you need a shower, I suggest you tell them before they do their hair." Ali walked away to her suitcase to change into her outfit.

As I stood up from the bed, I glanced once more at the clock. The numbers were pulsing inside of my brain, reminding me of how many days I had left. I snapped around and went to the bathroom to gain my spot.

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The sun was shining, and the streets were bustling with the citizens of Leamington. It was a lucent morning in the quaint town, and our concert choir was passing through, making out way to our concert location.

"Remember- we're stopping at the next park! That's where we're singing today!" Dr. Brady called over all of the heads.

We continued to walk, all having our own, separate conversations. My eyes absently scanned the choir, and I caught random faces here and there. Suddenly, someone was walking a little way ahead of me, looking straight at me with a smile on his face. My heart jumped slightly when I realized that it was Aaron. I smiled back and bowed my head down so as not to blush.

"Oh my God," I groaned to myself.

"What?" Elaine asked.

"Aaron just caught me staring at him."

Elaine started to laugh. "You, doof! Why were you staring right at him?"

"I didn't mean to," I said defiantly. "I was just staring at everyone."

"I don't think he cared."

I snorted. "Yeah…okay. He probably thinks I'm the biggest creep in the world."

"Then why is he walking towards us?"

My head snapped up, and I saw that Elaine was speaking true. Aaron was retracing his steps in order to come up next to me. "Hi, Corie," he said in his smooth voice.

"Hi," I said sweetly.

"How are you?"

As he said it, his hair fanned over his eyes, and he gently brushed it away. I smiled. "I'm pretty good. I got ready all in a hurry, so it was kind of stressful," I rambled away.

His eyes slightly looked down at me. "You can't tell; you look amazing."

Elaine made a noise that sounded half like a cough and half like a squeal.

I too looked down at my yellow and white summer dress to recollect on what I was wearing. "Thanks," I said with a laugh.

He stared at me for a second, and then someone from up ahead called his name.

"Well, I better go. But I'll talk to you later." With that he grinned and walked back through the pack of choir kids to get to his friends.

Elaine grabbed my arm and hissed into my ear, "Oh…my…GOD! I'm so jealous!"

I pushed her arm off, but a small smile touched my lips. "Stop it."

"He's in love with you," she said.

"No, he's not."

"He's still looking back at you! I can't believe this." For the second time, she grasped my arm. "He's in love with you!" she breathed.

I laughed. "Even if that is true-which it is not…" Elaine rolled her eyes. "I'm not in love with him."

Elaine didn't say anything for a moment, but then she looked at me with a smirk on her lips. "Sky?"

I nodded. "Yes…Sky."

She dropped the subject, and the two of us continued to follow the traces of our choir.

I tried to avoid doing anything that might grab Elaine's attention, but I couldn't circumvent around the situation any longer. When I looked up a little ways ahead of me to find Aaron, I saw that his light eyes were staring back at me.

Trying to avoid any awkward questions, I smiled at him and looked back down at the cobbled street of Leamington.


	15. Preparing for Battle

Preparing for Battle

**Preparing for Battle**

Our concert was absolutely fantastic! A huge crowd came to watch us, because many people were in the park, having picnics or just looking out on the pretty, crystal blue lake.

After, when my friends and I started to leave, Dr. Brady grabbed my shoulder. "Hey there, Corie!" He smiled his awkward grin at me.

"Hey, Dr. Brady."

"I just wanted you to know that I meant you were to sing for our last concert. You never got back to me for the one two days ago, so I was wondering if that was okay."

He looked down at me, with a slightly pleading look in his eyes. I always got so nervous in front of people, yet how many times would I be able to sing a solo in England?

I sighed and smiled. "I'd love to, Dr. Brady. Thank you so much for asking me."

He let out a breath of relief. He said, "Thanks for accepting. I really appreciate that, Corie. You're going to sing the solo on 'Kingdom of Heaven,' okay?"

I nodded, and he walked away with a happy spring in his step. My heart fluttered with the joy of it all.

"Corie!"

I turned my head and saw that all my friends were waiting for me at the edge of the park, impatient looks on their faces. I ran across the grass, watching the soft pink petals from the cherry trees onto the people picnicking in the park. I smiled down at some of the kids running with their brothers and sisters.

"What was that about?" Elaine asked.

"Oh, nothing, I'm just singing the solo for the last concert."

At the same time, my friends all let out excited squeals, yet I tried to shush them. "Stop it…stop it."

"Oh my gosh, Corie! How excited are you?" Ali asked, grasping my arm.

"I'm nervous," I admitted.

Lisa tutted. "You have nothing to worry about, Cor. You're amazing."

I all thanked them, and then we left to go have lunch with our big group of friends. As always, as we walked down the cozy little streets of Leamington, Sky popped up in the back of my mind. I could almost feel his hand in mine as we walked through the door of the café.

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It was midday, and my friends and I had walked through every little street, alleyway, and corner shops. Shopping bags were in each of our hands, and we were all talking of different things: summer plans, next year, and of course, all the concerts we had had so far.

"This last one was definitely our best!" I cried out.

"I agree," my friend Mary said.

Different opinions and suggestions came out, and I looked around at all my friends with a smile on my face. This trip was so much more fun than we all realized. We were really having the time of our life.

Throughout the rest of our free time, we grabbed lunch, did a bit more shopping, and then had a small dinner in the restaurant at the hotel.

After a small game of B.S with Elaine's deck of cards, we decided it was time to go back up to our rooms. Actually, it was more of Dr. Brady's decision to go back up to our rooms.

"Stop complaining! We're leaving for Bath tomorrow, and I don't want any of you saying that you didn't get enough sleep."

We still muttered and groaned, but he managed to get us all into the elevator and up into our rooms.

"I hate curfew!" Lisa said childlike, as she put her many shopping bags on the ground.

"I know," I groaned, "but I want to be wide awake for Bath tomorrow!" I turned to my friends. "I heard it's the prettiest city in England."

"Really?" Ali asked excitedly.

We all began to discuss more of Bath and what I had heard of it. Soon, we were all changed into our pajamas, and Elaine and Lisa were in their bed against the wall, and Ali and I were in our bed near the window.

Although Elaine and Lisa had said they were fine with not going back to Neverland, there was an awkward air in the room. Unsaid words were flying between the two beds, and the two of my friends kept giving each other significant looks.

To break the tension, I reached toward the alarm clock. "What should I set it for?"

They both shrugged, and Ali answered for me. "Dr. Brady wants us downstairs by 9."

I set the clock for 8 and rolled over on my side to get comfortable. Ali's eyes and mine met and we both knew what the other was thinking. I couldn't help but feel guilt rise up inside of me. However, I felt tingles on my arms just thinking of seeing Sky again.

"Good night, you guys," I called quietly to my two friends.

"Good night," they whispered.

It was silent. I looked once more at Ali and saw that her eyes were closed. They next time they would open, Peter would be standing over her. I knew she had been thinking that, because all of a sudden, a smile graced her lips.

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The window creaked open.

My eyes shot open.

A shadow was on the wall with crazy flyaway hair.

Peter was here.

"Corie?" Ali said in her hoarse voice.

"Yeah, I know. I'm awake."

The two of us rose up from our sleeping positions and looked at the window. Peter was walking in slowly, making sure not to make too much noise. When he saw that the two of us were awake, he smiled and waved. We made gestures back that we would join him outside after situating ourselves.

Ali walked in front of me, a new sweater over her pajamas, and she had a smile when she saw Peter standing on the balcony waiting for her. As I walked towards the two of them, I turned around once more and looked at my two friends in bed.

Both of their eyes were open and were looking at me with pure envy. I suddenly stopped and stared at them. Lisa turned back around in her spot, quite embarrassed, but Elaine kept her eyes on me for a moment. Suddenly, after we silently gazed at one another, she opened her mouth and whispered, "Tell everyone we say hi."

I slowly smiled and she gave me one back before turning on her side and falling back asleep.

As I met Ali and Peter on the balcony, I knew that everything was okay between my uninvited friends.

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Neverland was looking beautiful as ever as we soared over the vast island. The birds were especially magnificent with their colorful wings and bright cackles that made up the wondrous harmony of my dream place.

Ali and Peter, handheld, dropped down into the familiar woods where I knew that the hideout would be waiting. As predicted, the boys were waiting for the two of us in the shadows of the trees, holding new weapons of bows and arrows.

"Hey-ooooo," Peter cried, flying levelly into the forest.

We all landed, and the boys flooded around Ali and me.

"We got new weapons!" Curly yelled out.

"The best!" Slightly added.

It was true. Before, the Lost Boy's bows and arrows had been blunt and not very useful if they had wanted to shoot down a bird. Now, as Ali and I were shown the wondrous things, we saw that the new weapons were very sharp indeed and very well carved.

"Wow," I said curiously, gazing at one of the twins' sharp arrowheads. "Who sharpened these for you?"

Before any of them could answer me, a voice spoke up from behind me. "It was me."

As always, chills rose up my arms as I heard the soft voice of Sky. I turned around with a smile on my face and saw his tall figure emerge from the door of the hideout. He was smiling back at me with a proud smirk on his face.

I playfully looked back down at the arrow. "And…what would be the purpose of these new weapons that you have so _proudly_ enhanced for the Lost Boys?"

Sky was standing over me, the smile gone from his face. I stared up at him, now quite interested, but Tootles cried out from behind me.

"We're going to battle!"

"Tootles!"

My head swung to the left and saw that Peter was glowering at Tootles. Ali and I both exchanged looks at the abruptness of Peter's call. It had made Tootles grow slightly pink.

"What's going on?" Ali asked slowly. At this question, Peter had gently dropped her hand along with his head, and the other boys followed suit. No one's eyes met us.

I turned to Sky and saw that he was doing the same thing as the rest. "Sky…" He turned his head away from me. "Sky, what's going on?" He looked at me, but his gaze gave me no answer. "Tell me what's wrong. Why do the Lost Boys have new weapons?"

"Peter…" Ali stared, pulling on his hand to give her an answer.

"Can't we tell them, Peter? They're going to find out anyway," Slightly called out from the midst of the Lost Boys.

"No," Peter said stubbornly.

"No, I agree with Slightly," Ali said. "You should tell us what is going on right now."

"Ali, it really isn't that big of a deal. Let's just go have some food and forget about it."

"Peter, I want answers."

"Ali, let's just…"

"NOW!"

The finality of Ali's tone finally brought sense to Peter, and he had a rather astonished look on his face. "Okay!" he said, putting his hands in a defensive gesture. "Just calm down."

Ali took a couple breaths and waited for Peter's answer.

He sighed. "The both of you aren't going to like it though." His eyes were grave as he quickly looked at me.

As if in reflex, I turned to Sky for comfort and he grazed the ends of my fingertips with his.

Peter took one deep breath before stating, "The Indian tribe has joined with Hook's crew and are planning to attack us."

Ali and I both gasped at this. Anything that could have possibly gone wrong did go wrong.

"How did this happen?" Ali asked, her face a much lighter shade.

"It seems the chief has been planning this ever since I have denied my engagement with Tigerlily." We could all hear the shame in his voice. He slowly sat down on a tree trunk, his head in his hands. "I can't believe I let this happen. I feel so guilty."

Ali looked at me for a second and then decided to crouch down beside Peter. "Well, you didn't really have a choice, did you?" She said it for his own comfort and even her own.

He heard the tone in her voice, so he looked up at her with a smile on his face. "I know I made the right choice."

She smiled, and he leaned forward to kiss her on the nose.

"Sooo," Sky interrupted. "What are we going to do?" Peter stood up from the trunk. "They're obviously planning to attack soon, and the two girls will probably be stuck in the middle of it."

"I want to fight," I suddenly said. All faces turned towards me, looking at me with wide eyes. I looked back at them with a sudden defiance. "I want to fight," I repeated.

Sky slightly laughed. "That's not happening, Corie. We should find a way to bring you and Ali home straight away." He turned away from me and looked to Peter. "Peter, do you think you could take them back and when you return, we must plan a strategy to defend our hideout. Tigerlily knows of it for sure."

"No. We're not going home." These words came out of Ali's mouth and now all the eyes fell on her. "Corie and I want to fight."

It was Peter that spoke back to her now. "Ali, please be serious. Corie and you can't possibly fight. The two of you are…"  
"What? Girls?"

Peter sighed impatiently. "That's not what I was going to say."

"What he was _going _to say was," Sky continued, "that you two are going to go home; you're going to get into your little hotel beds; then, you're going to go to sleep and try not to think anything of this battle."

"And who are you to decide that?" I argued back.

His eyes fell on me. "I'm not letting you fight."

"Why not?" I realized that I walked much closer to him, my hands on my hips.

"Because…" He laughed smartly and looked away from me.

"Because…." Sky continued to do that annoying laugh of his. "Why don't you stop giggling and give me the reason why Ali and I can't fight?"

"Ooooo," all the Lost Boys cooed at us.

Sky stared at me for a second, looking between Ali and me as if we were crazy. "I don't think you two know what you're about to get into. These guys don't care that you are girls. They don't care that you are innocent. They will kill you."

"We _know_ that," Ali said.

"Do you?" Peter insisted.

"Please just let us fight," Ali whined. "The longer the two of you complain not to fight, the less time you'll have to teach a few tricks with the sword."

Sky shook his head and laughed, but Peter stared down at Ali in interest. Sky stopped laughing at Peter's look. "You can't actually consider letting them fight?"

Peter slightly shrugged his shoulders. "This is ridiculous!" Sky cried out. He turned around, running his hands through his hair. "I can _not _believe this."

Ali turned to me with a desperate look on her face. "Can't you…?" she nudged her head towards Sky.

I nodded my head glumly, and she gave a little smile.

I quickly chased after the retreating back of Sky, and his hands were still on his head as if he were being arrested.

"Sky?" I said gently, putting my hand on his back.

He stopped but chose not to turn around.

"Ali and I are going to fight, and nothing will go wrong. You'll see."

"How do I know that?" he asked, finally turning around. "You've gotten hurt before."

"I wasn't even hurt! He just…" I fumbled for a gentler word. "_Took_ me away for a little bit."

Sky laughed a bitter laugh. "If that's what your definition for _kidnapping _is, you obviously do not know Captain Hook."

"That's not the point, Sky. I want to fight."

Once again, Sky turned away from me, planning to walk away, but I grabbed his arm and held on tight. "You once complained to me that there was not enough time left," I breathed. "Well, aren't these our last days together?"

His eyes slowly fell on me, and I stared back at him with a defiant look. Finally, the edges of his eyes softened, and I felt his arm muscles relax beneath my hand. The stubborn look on his face remained, yet I saw the edge of his mouth twitch. "Only four more days…."

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "Four more days."

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"Corie! You're not listening to me!"

I couldn't help but start laughing at Sky's angry manner. "Okay…okay, I'm sorry," I said, trying not to giggle. I put on a serious face and lifted the handle of my sword. "Just stop saying funny phrases!" I said to him.

He rolled his eyes and put the sword blade down into the practice area. "Just because I said, 'It's important for every man to know how to use his sword' doesn't give you any reason to disrupt my teachings. Oh, come on, Corie!"

At this last comment, I had begun to laugh again, and the weight of my sword brought me down to a crouch. When I looked back up, Sky was glaring daggers at me. "Okay! I'm sorry!"

A smile broke across his face, but he quickly tried to hide it. "Lift up your sword, missy."

"What was that?" I teased him.

He ignored me. "Come on! I'm your teacher, and I told you to lift up your sword."

I walked closer to him, swinging my arms like a kid. "Did I see you...?" I bobbed my head towards him. … "crack a smile…?"

He shook his head and looked away from me. "I can't believe I agreed to do this." I could hear the strain of his voice as it shook with sustained laughter.

"Aw, Sky! You know you _love_ teaching me all of this." I stretched up and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Because it gives you a reason to get aggressive with me," I said slyly.

"Why you…?"

Sky reached to pick up his sword, and I squealed and ran out of his embrace. Luckily, the two of us were alone, so it didn't hurt to play fight once in a while.

I turned around in fight stature and saw that Sky was coming towards me, his sword high up in the air. I screamed and lifted up my sword in some random position. It may not have been correct, but it fended Sky off. Right as our swords clashed together, I made another run away from him.

"Corie! You can't run _away_ from the men you're going to be fighting!"

"Watch me!"

Suddenly, all serious fight had left us and only desire for one another remained. I heard Sky's sword fall to the ground, and I turned around waiting for his embrace.

His arms wrapped around me, and the force of his kiss blew me away. There was heavy breathing, roaming hands, and beating hearts. My sword had long been forgotten and was lying on the ground beside us.

Sky ran his hand through my hair and continued to kiss me as hard as he could. With all of the heat of the moment, I jumped up into his arms and wrapped my legs around his waist. Just feeling the muscles in his back gave me every reason to feel enough fervor for that day. I softly groaned against his lips, and I felt angry when he pulled away to smile at me.

"This was a bad idea."

I laughed but leaned forward again to kiss him. He turned his head away with a laugh. "Come on! What are you doing?" I complained.

"Corie, I have to teach you how to sword fight. You're a disaster!"

"No I am not! I'm getting really good at it." He shook his head, laughing. I wanted to kiss him so badly. "We'll practice in five minutes." I leaned forward to kiss him again, but he suddenly dropped me down and my feet touched the grass of the woods.

"We can do this later, Corie. Right now…" He picked my sword up from the grass. "… I'm teaching you to sword fight."

I glowered at his sexy grin. "No _way _did you just deny a five minute make out session."

"It was hard, but look at it this way." He grinned at me from beneath his shaggy head of hair. "I'd rather have been teaching you to survive than having the chance to make out with you."

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It was an hour later, and I had already learned plenty of new moves. By the end of my "training," Sky had fallen to the ground by one of my blows.

"Yeah!" I cried out. "You like that?!"

He stared at me from the ground, sweat sliding down his face, his chest moving up and down. "All right," he said breathlessly. "I think…you're good."

"I know I am."

I reached down and helped him up to his feet. He slightly wobbled and I grabbed him around his midsection. "Whoa there! You okay?" I asked laughing.

He playfully pushed my head away. "I'm okay. I think you should thank your master for doing such a wonderful time today though."

"Hmmm. Maybe I'll thank him when he doesn't smell like a codfish."

His eyes widened. "Well then!"

We both started to laugh, me especially, and he stared to shake his head looking down at his shirt. "You're right. I do smell pretty bad."

"Hey," I said gently, the laughing stopping. He looked up at me, and I walked towards him to put my hands on his chest. "It doesn't matter one bit what you smell like. I'll love you no matter what."

His grin broadened. "You mean that?"

"Of course I do. Even when you're eighty years old, all wrinkly and senile, I'll still love you as much as I do right now."

He kissed the tip of my nose. "I'll love you even more than I do now," he whispered.

And with that we kissed. I didn't care that both of us were sweaty with practicing; it just felt so good for Sky's arms to be wrapped around my body.

All of a sudden, a cry rang through the forest, breaking us from our reverie.

"What was that?" I asked nervously.

Sky was looking out into the woods. "I don't know." He let go of me and started to walk a little ways away from our practicing area.

"Sky?" I hissed.

"Hmmm?"

I paused. "You don't think they've attacked yet, do you?"

He looked back at me. "They can't have," he said. "They wouldn't attack this early in the day."

The cry came again, and it seemed to be coming towards us. It sounded as if one person was running our way.

"Pick up your sword!"

I did as he said, and once I stood up straight, he was standing right in front of me, facing the woods in fighting stature. I could feel my heart beating against our chest, and I was at a loss for words.

"Corie, he might have bows and arrows. If that's the case, dodge as best as you can. When you have the chance, run forward and engage him in a sword fight. If it's one of Hook's men, you will definitely have to sword fight him."

"And if it's the Indians?!"

He didn't say anything.

"Sky?!"

"Shhh!"

The footsteps got closer and closer. The woods that surrounded this unknown person were becoming disturbed. Animals were fleeing from the steps, birds were rising up into the canopies, and fairies were looking for new places to hide.

The dark figure of someone running came into view, and I saw Sky rise up his sword to fight. I was so scared, I almost fell upchuck rising up my throat.

Suddenly, the person ran into the clearing, and both Sky and I gasped at the same time: "Ali?!"

When she got a glimpse of us, she sighed with relief. She was also breathing heavily, and sweat was shining on her chest. I ran towards her with my arms out to her so she could have something to hold onto. She had run a long way; Sky and I had made sure to get deep into the forest.

"Give her a minute to catch her breath," I said to Sky as he lingered over her.

She took a couple deep breaths and then cleared her throat. "I…think it's getting better."

"Ali, what's wrong?" Sky asked, gently grabbing her arm.

She looked up at him, still holding onto her heart. "The attack has begun. Hook and his men have gotten the Indians and are walking towards our camp as we speak."

Sky and I stared at each other for a minute, not quite knowing what to do. Ali looked between us also to wait for a response.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" I finally said. "Let's go fight!"

_I LOVE all of your reviews! You guys are so nice. I really do appreciate them all. Even though I don't individually single all of you out for your nice reviews, I really do like them all. Now that it's summer, it's going to be a lot easier to keep up on this story. I promise I'll update soon! Thanks!_


	16. The Battle

This chapter mostly includes the battle

_This chapter mostly includes the battle. It's going to be pretty intense. I know all of you are pretty shocked by it, but I really wanted to put it in. I hope you guys like it._

**The Battle**

Branches were scratching my arms, animals were dodging me, and dirt flew up from my shoes as I ran through Fairy Forest. Sky, Ali, and I were running back to all of the Lost Boys, who were no doubt preparing to fight.

"Why did you guys come in here so far?" Ali cried out.

Sky laughed. "Sorry. Corie is just so bad at sword fighting I had to take her away from everyone so she wouldn't be humiliated."

I hit his arm. "Right now isn't the time to be making jokes. The men might have already attacked the Lost Boys."

"We would know if they did," Ali said nervously. "There'd be a lot of noises and stuff."

Sky nodded. "She's right. The boys would have warned us if there was an attack already."

We ran for a couple more seconds, and then suddenly, we broke through the brush where all the Lost Boys were standing.

"There you are!" Peter said exasperatedly. He ran towards Ali and brought her towards the middle of the battle ground.

Sky and I ran forward and traded in for shiny, steady swords. Sky then offered me a shield, but I refused it.

"It'll get in the way of my fighting."

He held it before me, showing how protective it was. "But it'll block off any arrows."

I looked up at him. "You told me I could dodge those."

"I did, but I would feel much better if you had one of these."

"Sky, wouldn't you rather have me be better with my sword without the shield?"

He stared at me for a second, sighed, and dropped the shield. "I guess you're right," he said quietly.

"I am." And I smiled up at him.

All around us, the Lost Boys were preparing for the battle. They were clanging swords together, doing different battle cries, and even talking to themselves with closed eyes. I stared at Slightly who looked like he was praying.

I suddenly realized that I might not come out of the battle alive. I quickly closed my eyes and said a short prayer. It was out of our control as to what this battle would bring.

Ali ran over to me with a strange, silver shirt in her arms. "What's that?" I asked.

She put it into my arms. "Put it on. It'll protect you." She ran away back to where Peter was standing.

"But what is it?" I called out to her.

She was too far away to hear, so I stared at the shirt in interest.

"It's skin of Beast."

I turned around and saw Curly standing behind me, looking at the shiny fabric of my protection.

"Skin of Beast?" I said quite disgusted.

"It sounds gross," Curly said, coming up beside me, "but it could stop a blade from piercing your skin."

"Wow," I breathed.

"You should put it on now," Curly suggested. "The men will be here any minute."

He started to walk away, but a question rose up inside me. "Curly?"

Turning around, he looked at me.

I hesitated before asking. "Have you ever gotten in a battle with Hook's men? I mean, before the time he kidnapped me?"

Curly looked up in thought. He bit his lip and then held up his finger. "We got in a battle with him once before- when I was quite young."

I stepped closer to him. "And what happened?"

His eyes darkened and a gloomy look came over his face. "We don't speak of that battle," he said, looking down at the ground.

I looked around me and saw that no one was near us. "It's okay. You can tell me," I said gently.

Curly also looked around, and once he realized that the coast was clear, he came closer to me. "We lost one of our own that day," he said quietly.

My eyes widened. "What?"

He nodded sullenly. "He was one of the oldest. It was a horrible battle. Hook decided once and for all that he wanted Peter dead. He got all of his men together and attacked us at night when we were here in Fairy Forest." He shook his head again. "It took us all by surprise. We weren't prepared at all. If it weren't for the Indians, we would have all been dead."

"And now they're fighting against us," I said slowly.

Curly nodded. "Hook himself killed Tug." He looked up at me. "That was his name, Tug. Hook stabbed him though."

"Oh my gosh," I whispered. "Without any thought?"

"Nope." Curly got closer to me. "I still think that Sky has not gotten over it," he said.

I stared at him in interest. "What do you mean?"

He nudged his head towards Sky. "Tug and Sky were best friends. They were practically inseparable. Tug was actually older than Sky."

I looked over at Sky who was teaching some extra moves to Ali. I felt my heart clench for him.

Curly continued. "I think that was the day that Sky decided to never leave Neverland."

"Why do you say that?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I think he figured that if something as bad as losing your best friend could happen in Neverland, how awful would the real world be?"

It was then that I knew Sky would never come with me. I had been praying for the whole trip that he would have the courage to come live with me in the real world, but after Curly's story, I had a feeling that it would be impossible to come over that fear of his.

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"Lost Boys!"

At Peter's cry, everyone went silent and stared at him. He was standing before us, his back to the forest. His hands were on his hips and he had that look on his face which showed that he meant business.

He began to pace in front of us, his voice bouncing off the trees around us. "I know that all of you are scared, and I can not blame you. But there is no reason to be scared! We can beat Hook!"

Slightly gave out a victory cry, and Peter smiled at him.

"Just remember to grab a man and fight him one-on-one. Don't try to help another person with their opponent. That is what is most important. If two men try to attack you at once, you know the strategy: knock one of them out and then fight the other." He suddenly stopped and faced us full on. "If the battle is getting too fierce, we can run back to our hideout. They could follow us, yes, but what other choice do we have?"

There was no answer; Peter was absolutely correct.

"Now!" Peter cried out, beginning to pace again. "I want all of you to know that you are great fighters. We should be okay. But if someone is to get hurt, if someone is to…to…"  
"…die?" Slightly suggested.

Peter pointed at him. "Yes, die! If someone is to die, don't stop to mourn. It is our duty to keep Neverland peaceful. We have known that since we have fallen out of our prams."

I looked over at Ali and saw that she looked just as scared as I felt.

Peter stopped his pacing again. "I trust you all. I know that we will be fine."

We all nodded with encouragement, and Peter smiled.

"Huzzah!" Sky suddenly cried out.

Everyone laughed at that, the mood quickly changing.

The forest was buzzing with life. It was as if all the creatures in the woods knew that a battle was about to begin. I myself kept practicing little moves with my sword, imagining a man coming towards me, ready to kill.

Sky inched his way towards me. "You got all the moves down?"

"Yes, I think so," I said quietly.

He looked down at me in concern. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said, shaking my head. _"Why does he have to read my mind so well?"_ I thought to myself.

Sky put his hand on my shoulder. "What are you thinking about? Are you scared for the battle?"

"_Now_ I am- after hearing Curly's story."

"What story?"

I looked up at Sky with sympathetic eyes. "Of the first battle with Hook's men- many years ago."

Sky stared at me for a second, and then his eyes lit up with realization. He dropped his hand from my shoulder and then tried to not look at my face. "That was a bad day," he said quietly.

"I know it was." I put my hand on his shoulder so that he would look at me. He slowly lifted his head and his eyes met mine. "Why didn't you ever tell me about your friend?"

"You mean Tug?"

I nodded.

"Why would I?" he said, straightening up. "I didn't really think it was that important."

"'That important?' He's the reason you don't even want to leave Neverland."

"I never said that." He crossed his arms and looked over at Curly. "Just because Curly hypothesized something with you does not mean that it is true."

I sighed, trying to calm down the moment. "I didn't bring this up to make you angry."

"Oh, really? Then why did you bring it up?"

Shuffling my feet, I answered, "To ask you to overcome your fear and leave Neverland with me."

After I said it, an arrow rang through the air, hitting a tree directly in the middle of its trunk.

It had begun.

At once, the Indians' cry echoed through the woods, bouncing off the leaves and grass of the forest. A large group of men poured into the clearing where we were all waiting. It was a surplus of people, but not enough to destroy us all.

The fighting started up at once. I had no time to see what the other Lost Boys were doing. A smaller man with an eagle drawn on his face ran towards me, a hatchet in his hand. I had not expected hatchets to appear in this battle.

"Still use your sword, Corie!" Sky suddenly cried beside me. He was engaged in a fight with an older woman.

The eagle man raised his hatchet to strike, and my heart was pumping against my chest. There was no time to be scared. Right as the hatchet reached its striking point, I guarded it off with my sword. The hatchet slid down the remainder of my sword, and the man jumped back in surprise.

I held up my sword so he would get the idea that I was no longer afraid. His eyes were no longer filled with surprise. They were filled with a possessed glee. He came towards me again, swiping towards my legs. I flew my sword down, slicing the air, and again we flew apart.

The man looked around him to see the rest of the battle. I, too, took the opportunity and looked at the ones I loved.

It looked as if Sky had knocked out the woman. She was lying next to us with a bloody head. I had no sight of him after that. In the distance, I could barely make out Ali. She was standing right beside Peter, the two of them fighting teenage boys.

It was then that I realized: _"Hook's men are not here."_

"Ahhhhhhh!"

I turned back to my battle and the man was coming toward me, swinging his hatchet like a crazy man. Our weapons clashed several times, yet he was still coming on me like he meant to kill.

It continued on for minutes, him swiping his hatchet at me in many different ways, and I fending him off with my awkwardly large sword.

Suddenly, on one of my defenses, I swiped him across the knee. He immediately fell to the ground, crying out in pain. Both knees had bad cuts on them and were producing a lot of blood. I couldn't help it, but as I looked down at the injury I had made, I felt pity for the man. He was gasping in pain and rocking back and forth on the ground.

I kneeled down and looked him in the eye. He was staring at me with something I had never caused before: fear. He believed that I was going to kill him.

"You understand some English?"

He stopped rocking and slowly nodded his head, his eyes still wide.

"Good." I quickly looked over my shoulder in case I was about to be attacked. No one was there, so I turned back to the eagle man. "Go back to your camp and take care of your injury. Take many of your people with you." He nodded eagerly. I looked back down at the blood. "This battle should never have happened," I said quietly.

The man slowly stood up, still holding onto his knees. He gazed upon me for a minute with a quizzical look. I stared back at him, the sword in my hand, and I mouthed, "Go" to him.

He nodded and ran back the way they had entered. Along the way, he grabbed about five people. I assumed they were family members.

Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of Peter and his opponent. His fighter was large, in every sense of the word. His hair touched the middle of his back, and he was wearing a large hat of feathers.

I suddenly gasped. _"The Chief!"_

Someone touched the small of my back, and I flew around, holding up my sword. I sighed once I realized it was Sky. "God, you scared me."

"The battle with the Indians is almost over," he said quickly. "Hook's men will be here any minute."

"Do you think we can make it?" I asked nervously.

He stared into my eyes. "All of us are okay so far."

That's when I saw the deep cut on his shoulder. The weapon had ripped through his shirt and caused the blood to seep through his left shoulder. "Oh my gosh!" I breathed, pointing at his injury.

He merely looked down and then back at me. "Oh, it's nothing."

"'Nothing!' Look at it!"

He wearily laughed. "Corie, we don't have time to worry about a little cut. There's a battle to be won."

I still looked nervously at the wound, but he pointed over my shoulder at something.

I turned around and saw Peter standing above a kneeled chief. The large man was breathing heavily and holding onto his right arm as if it were broken. Peter slowly brought his sword down to hold it over the chief's head.

"Surrender," Peter said, loud enough for all of us to hear.

The chief stared at him with hatred in his eyes. Slowly, he shook his head.

"No?" Peter asked. "You will not surrender?"

Again, the chief shook his head.

"You would rather die than surrender to me?"

The chief looked at his fallen men. The only ones that remained were unconscious. The others had all left and gone back to their camp. Sluggishly, he nodded his head with his eyes shut tight.

I grabbed onto Sky's arm, waiting for Peter's final blow. After this, everything would be done. The Lost Boys would not have to worry about any future battles with the Indians. After Peter killed the chief, there would be no worrying.

The chief bowed his head, accepting his death. I looked around quickly for Tigerlily and was glad to see that she would not witness her father's death. Every Lost Boy was staring at the scene with awed eyes. They would never speak up against Peter, but none of them had accepting eyes at what was about to happen.

Peter slowly raised his sword, the arch of his back looking like a warrior. He held it there for minute, all of us waiting with bated breath. Any second, the head of the chief would be separated from his body. I was not prepared to see it. I squeezed Sky's arm as hard as I could. It was about to happen.

All of a sudden, Peter lowered the sword and dropped it to his side. It landed in the grass with a soft padding noise. At the sound of it dropping, the chief looked up, tears in his eyes. He looked at the fallen sword, and then he looked up at Peter.

There was a slight hiatus as the two of them stared at one another. There was so much to say that neither of the other could really explain. Peter lost his fighting stature and went back to his usual stance: the hands on his hips.

"What has brought you to this, Chief? You would rather let me kill you than surrender to me?"

The chief shook his head. "I…protect family," he stuttered.

"There's nothing to protect!" Peter cried out. "I was never planning on hurting anyone!"

"…Tigerlily…?"

"Tigerlily is my friend. She has been my friend ever since she was born. I was there the day she was born; have you forgotten that?"

The chief's eyes lit with remembrance, and he stared up at Peter. "You- love…Tigerlily?"

Ali took one step towards Peter.

Peter sighed. "I do love Tigerlily, like she's my sister. I would never let anything happen to her. You should know that, Chief."

The chief was beginning to look uncomfortable. He took a deep breath. "I asked…Hook…"

"I know that you asked to join Hook. I got news of it from the mermaids."

The chief's face turned red.

Peter kneeled in front of him, looking him full on in the face. "You have lost sight of what Neverland is made for." The chief regarded him with soft eyes. "Neverland is our home- a home meant to keep the peace. Once you realized that I did not love your daughter, you felt vulnerable. There was no reason to feel that, Chief. I will always be on the Indians' side. I promise you that."

The chief still stayed in his kneeling position, staring at Peter. Peter was waiting for Chief to do or say something. The large man took a deep breath and smiled at Peter. He said something in his language and held his hand out to Peter. The two of them shook hands.

At once, all the Lost Boys cheered. They through their hats and weapons into the air and watched them fall to the ground. They ran to each other and embraced. Peter and the chief began to have a whispered conversation in the Indians' language. I watched them through the flying hats and feathers. As some of the fallen men began to regain consciousness, they quickly left the scene, looking nervously at their enemies.

Finally, the chief left, carrying one of the unconscious teenage boys over his shoulder. Once he was no longer in sight, we all gathered around Peter.

"Are Hook's men coming?" one of the twins asked.

"I hope not! My arm is tired," Slightly complained.

Peter held up his arm so everyone would be quiet. We all shushed at once. "The chief has agreed to tell Hook not to attack. He said that if Hook would not listen, the chief's men would gladly attack their ship."

Another cheer echoed through the woods. I had never felt so relieved. I turned around to see Sky yelping up in the air, laughing with Tootles who was right beside him. Sky saw me laughing, and he came towards me. Gently, he grabbed me and lifted me into the air. Once I rose above everyone else, I let my head fall back and I gave an Indian yelp into the air as if I were one of the Lost Boys.

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"I'm so proud of you all! I thought that this deserved a large meal for all of us."

We all cheered, our stomachs grumbling at us. Peter had prepared a huge dinner for us, and Ali and I had not eaten to get ready for this meal.

We all dug in, speaking of the different points of the battle that really stuck out.

"Corie, I saw you take on that man with the hatchet! He was scary!" Tootles cried across the table to me.

I laughed. "He wasn't that bad," I said, reaching for some Fairy Milk.

"Are you kidding? I've never had to fight with a hatchet before. That would scare the hell out of me."

"Well, Tootles, I'm sure you did fine with the men you had to fight. You're a pretty ferocious opponent."

He blushed and shook his head. "Oh, you're just saying that, Corie."

"I am not!" I said. "I would be scared to fight against you."

He smiled at me and then joined in a conversation with Curly.

I looked beside me to say something to Sky, but he was not sitting there. I looked down at the empty seat confoundedly.

"He went in his room."

I tilted my head up and saw that Slightly was pointing behind me. "I think he said he wanted to clean out his cut."

"Oh, thanks," I said with a smile.

I stood up from the table and left the happy atmosphere to see if Sky was okay. I walked into the large room with the many bunk beds. "Sky?" I said, as I walked through the beast blanket.

"Over here."

I looked at the last bunk and saw that Sky was sitting beside it, holding a wet cloth up to his cut. I quickly walked over and saw down next to him. "Are you okay?" I asked.

He nodded, looking at the cut. "Stings like hell though."

I took a closer look and saw that it was the antibiotic Sky had used on my cut. "Ooooo, now _you _have to go through the pain." And I started to laugh.

Sky laughed also, but I noticed that he have a grim smile on his face. I stopped laughing and leaned closer to him. "What's wrong?" I asked quietly.

At that, he looked down at his feet. "It's just…" he stuttered, "I've been thinking a lot about what you said before."

I hesitated. "Oh."

He looked up at me anxiously. "About leaving Neverland with you."

I wasn't happy to see the expression on his face. "And…what do you think? What's your final thought on the matter?"

He put down the cloth and put his legs into Indian style. "Corie," he sighed. My heart dropped. "I want to be with you for the rest of my life; you know that. You make me feel more alive than I've ever felt in my life."

"But….?"

He shook his head, his eyes solemn. "I don't have the courage to leave Neverland. It's been my home for so long."

It was as if everything inside me had crashed down. I felt my heart break, and tears immediately welled up in my eyes.

"Corie," Sky said, touching my hand. "You can stay here with me. Stay here in Neverland."

I gently pushed his hand away. My voice was shaking. "How can I, Sky? You don't have to worry about leaving family members and people you love. I can't just leave my sisters, my mom, my dad, and all my friends back home. It's impossible!"

Sky leaned towards me, grabbing both of my friends. "That's just it, though, Corie! You can go back and visit them every so often. That way, you'll appreciate them even more when you don't see them as often."

Again, I pulled my hands away. "How can you even suggest that?" I breathed.

At that, Sky's eyes grew cold. "Well, I do it. I'm forced to live without my family, and you don't see me getting all upset about it," he said.

My eyes widened. "That's because you've never met them. You won't even give the real world a chance, Sky!"

"Why should I?!" he suddenly yelled. "After all the things Peter has told me about, you really think that I want to go there?!"

Tears were coming down my face now. I felt lost and totally out of control. "I don't understand, Sky. You're not even willing to overcome your fear to be with me?"

"Corie! I told you! I hate the world out there. There's nothing out there for me."

At that, I got quiet. My chest was moving up and down, but I stared at Sky calmly. "I'll be there. Won't that be enough?"

Sky bit his lip, tears also coming into his eyes. He shook his head and looked away from me. "I love you, Corie, but- there's just some things that I can't overcome." Then, he looked right at me. "Even for our love."

The two of stared at each other, tears dropping on my bare knees. It hurt too much to look at that sun-touched hair and those dark, chocolate eyes. I stood up from the floor, gave him one last look, and ran from the room.


	17. A Foreshadowing Heartbreak

A Foreshadowing Heartbreak

A Foreshadowing Heartbreak

As I ran out of Sky's room, an uncontrollable feeling came over me. I felt completely lost and at a crossroads, especially because I couldn't feel his comforting touch against mine. I needed his touch. It wasn't a matter of wanting it or craving it; I _needed_ it above all other things.

I burst through the bear blanket that covered his door and collided into a solid human being. They gasped out of surprise and dropped whatever was in their hands. I didn't care; I was too heartbroken to feel anything. I fell to the ground, letting the sobs take over me.

The chatter that had been going on as I ran into the room immediately stopped, and the clatter of many knives and forks sounded against the Lost Boys' plates. However, I continued to ignore all around me. I was curled up into a little ball on the ground, shaking with sobs.

Whoever had run into me was now knelt beside me, but I couldn't see them through my tears. "Corie," they breathed against my cheek. "Corie, are you okay?"  
I could tell that it was Nibb's voice beside me, and even in the state I was in, I still could feel the twinge of amusement in his slightly Cockney accent.

Suddenly, a chair slid out from the table and another figure joined Nibbs. "Corie?" they said.

Ali.

"Corie, what happened? What did Sky say?"

I couldn't speak a word. I tried to open my mouth to speak, but a stream of unknown sobs erupted from within me. Ali placed her hand on my back.

Another figure appeared and when he spoke, I knew it was Peter. "Do you know what happened?" he whispered to Ali.

"I have no idea." She turned to me. "Corie, please stop crying and tell me what happened. Please."

I wanted to tell her; I wanted to stop this embarrassing moment, but I just didn't have the strength. Another gasp burst from me, and Nibbs placed his hand on my knee.

"Peter, you should take her home."

"But it's so early!" one of the twins called from the table.

"Quiet!" Peter hissed. His voice got gentler. "Do you mind, Ali? It doesn't seem like she can tell us."

"Of course. I want her to be happy."

"I'll ask Sky what happened."

At that, the empty feeling that I had felt in my heart suddenly got wider. "No," I suddenly gasped out.

The figures came closer to me. "What did you say, Corie?" Ali breathed.

"Don't ask him, Peter," I ordered, wiping the tears from my eyes. "Don't you ask him…please."

Peter looked from me to Ali and then back in my direction. With a sigh, he slowly nodded his head. "If that's what you want. But I don't care what you say, I'm bringing you home."

I couldn't argue with that one.

With the help of Nibbs, Ali, and Peter, all three of them lifted me up. And even though I got to my feet, I still felt like I had no strength left in me. With a gasp, I felt my knees give out, and my assistants at once caught my arms.

"Sorry," I whispered.

"Don't be sorry, Corie. Just put your arm around us."

I felt stupid and immature. This shouldn't be the reaction of a sixteen-year-old. Yet, I knew that what Sky had said was his final decision, and it really killed me inside. I couldn't imagine a life without him. I tried to look in the future and imagine someone else as my husband, but it just didn't work. Sky was the one.

With awkward and uncomfortable progress, the four of us made it out of the tree, me still grasping onto my friends. I had gotten a little stronger after leaving the same vicinity Sky was in.

"Can we let go?" Nibbs asked gently.

I slowly nodded my head.

They carefully let go of me, and I made sure that my legs were locked tight. I was standing on my own, yet my shoulders were hunched and squatted. Sobs were no longer coming from me, but every so often, silent tears would trail down my cheeks.

"Come on, Corie. I'll hold your hand," Ali said.

Without even thinking, I grabbed her small hand and grasped it tightly. Peter came to my other side and grabbed mine.

"Thank you, Nibbs," I said quietly, looking over my shoulder.

Nibbs smiled a grim smile. "It's my pleasure." He waved as we rose into the air and soared out of Fairy Forest.

I didn't speak for the whole flight back. Ali would squeeze my hand now and then to see if I was alive. She and Peter held up most of my weight, and I felt a twinge of guilt whenever one of them sighed and tightened their hold on me.

Finally, we landed on the balcony of our room. I didn't want to be here. The hole in my chest got wider and wider as I realized that I would have to put on a fake smile for tomorrow. It was going to be difficult. Even seeing Sky's face in my mind made more tears rush down my cheeks.

"Go inside, Corie. I'll be there in a minute," Ali said.

In my zombie state, I obeyed all orders. I walked through the balcony door and slid it so that it was almost close to being shut all the way. I knew that Peter and Ali were planning on talking about me.

Ali sighed. "I have no idea what to do." She said this in a hurried whisper.

"Neither do I. She doesn't want me to ask Sky."

"What could possibly have happened? They were fine before and after the battle. It was just during dinner that something happened."

"I don't know…I just don't know."

The two of them stood in silence for a minute. I continued to stray by the door, listening hard.

Peter said, "Do you think you'll come tomorrow?" in a hesitant voice.

"Peter," Ali started.

"I'm sorry! I know that Corie's upset and I shouldn't be thinking of you two coming tomorrow, but it's just that— ." I knew what he was thinking. "I only have three more days with you, Ali. And if Corie doesn't want to come tomorrow or the next day…"

"I know," Ali interrupted. "I know."

Another moment of silence.

"I can't imagine not seeing you before you leave." Peter's voice was closer, meaning they were probably embracing. The thought of love being in the same room as me made the hole grow wider.

"Neither can I, but I can't see how things are going to get better."

Peter sighed, his voice muffled. He was most likely breathing in the scent of her hair. I felt tears come to my eyes.

Ali spoke. "We're leaving tomorrow for Stratford-upon-Avon."

"Are you?"

"Yes."

No one spoke.

"I'll come for you tomorrow," Peter said.

So he had decided.

"Peter," Ali started. "I can't go without Corie, I just can't."

"Maybe she'll understand. If she was in your situation, she would want to see Sky."

"I know that, but--."

"No 'buts.' I'm coming tomorrow whether you like it or not."

Ali exhaled. "You're too stubborn for my liking."

Peter quietly laughed. "And you're too short for my liking."

She joined his laughter and then suddenly stopped. I tilted my head through the curtain and saw that they were kissing. My heart dropped. I walked away from the window and quickly walked over to my bed. As soon as I had slid under the sheets, Ali opened the sliding door and walked into the room.

I could hear that she was trying to be quiet for me as she got on the other side of the bed. I wanted her to think I was asleep so that she would not ask me of tonight. I quietly snored along with Elaine. Ali sighed and moved against the mattress a bit more.

It was quiet for a moment, me staring at the red numbers of the alarm clock. Ali was silent, and I assumed she was asleep. I flipped onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. This way, no tears could fall out of my eyes.

Right as I closed my eyes, I heard a whispered, "I love you, Corie."

I looked to the left and saw that Ali was smiling, her eyes closed, also looking up at the ceiling.

A smile touched my lips and more tears came to my eyes. "I love you too."

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It was the morning of what was promised to be one of the worst days of my life. I had fallen asleep, but it just so happened that my dreams were worse than reality. Every moment I had ever had with Sky had run through my unconscious mind: meeting him the first time, us in Fairy Forest, our first kiss, the time he showed me his sister, and the occurrence in the tree house he and Peter had built. Every one of those memories created another hole in my chest.

"Corie."

I opened my eyes at Ali's whisper and saw that she was facing me, concern on her face. "How did you sleep?" she asked politely.

"Fine," I lied. It turned out that I had gotten about three hours of sleep rather than the usual seven or so.

Ali grimaced, like she knew that I had lied to her. "That's good."

I heard the shower go, and I tilted my head to the other bed. Lisa's back was to us, her side still rising and falling with her heavy breathing.

"Oh God," I groaned to myself.

"Corie." I looked back at Ali. "I can tell them to not say anything to you today if you want. You can be as miserable as you desire," she said with a trying smile.

I slightly grinned while I shook my head. "I'll just pretend nothing's wrong. They're going to know that something happened with Sky."

Ali's eyes widened. "Do you think you can do that?"

I thought about how last night, I had nearly collapsed to the ground at just the thought of Sky leaving me forever. I tried to imagine how awful it would be when we truly had to leave each other. The hole widened in my chest, and I pushed the thought out of my head.

"Yes," I sighed. "I _have _to do that."

Ali shrugged her shoulders, her face still filled with concern. "If you feel like you can, I won't tell them anything. I promise."

There were no emotions on my face. "Yes, I can pretend."

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And I did pretty well.

As we boarded the bus to travel to our new destination, I joked with my friends, laughed at the right times, and looked back at the memories with excited eyes. Yet, whenever I saw that no one's eyes were on me or that two or more people were engaged in another conversation, my shoulders slumped, and my heart dropped altogether.

Sky was the permanent thought running through my mind, and there was no way to get rid of him.

I tried to see a solution to the problem at hand. I didn't want Ali to not see Peter again, but I couldn't see a way of going back and facing Sky again. The thought of it made the edges of the hole burn and sizzle against my chest. It was physically painful for me to even imagine it.

"Corie?"

I looked up out of my trance and saw that my friend Amanda was staring at me expectantly.

"Sorry! What did you say?"

"I asked if you were nervous for your solo tomorrow."

I had completely forgotten about my moment in the spotlight. It had soared out of my head as soon as I had arrived at Neverland. It always had a way of doing that. Anything stressful, anything hard to cope with was always solved when Ali and I flew towards the islands of Neverland.

Quickly, I came out of my reverie. I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head. "I don't really think there's anything to be nervous about. It's not like there's a lot of people at our concerts."

My friends engaged in laughter, and I gave them all a hearty chuckle. It was about as fake as they come. However, no one noticed, and they all continued to laugh and talk about new gossip or any other details to the trip.

Ali was across the seat from me, and she was the only one looking at me with anent eyes. Her hands were grasped together, and she was leaning closer and closer towards me throughout our conversation.

"Are you okay?" she finally asked.

I looked around to see if anyone was noticing. Elaine, who was near the window in my seat, was talking to our friend, Maureen in the seat in front of us. Everyone else in the surrounding seats was engaged in totally different conversations.

I then turned back to Ali. With a sigh, I shook my head, trying to ignore the tears welling up in my eyes. "No," I breathed.

Ali nodded with an anticipated look. She reached forward and took my hand. "It'll be okay."

"No—it won't."

"Yes it will," Ali said encouragingly. "Corie, I know about a _hundred_ guys that would die to go out with you."

"Shut up," I muttered.

"It's true!" She looked at the back of the bus. "Aaron hasn't taken his eyes off you since the day he told you you looked gorgeous. That has to mean something."

I looked where she had glanced and saw that it was true. Aaron's narrow blue eyes were staring me down, and once I looked his way, a broad smile came across his face.

Had it been any other day, had it been when I was _completely_ in love with him, I would have reciprocated the smile; but it wasn't like that. I was in love with someone else…and it was a much stronger love than I could ever feel with Aaron.

I turned away from him and looked back at Ali. "I don't want anyone else. I don't care if a hundred guys want me. There's only one that I want. There's only one that I can see myself for the rest of my life."

"Corie, calm down--."

"I can't!" I suddenly hissed at her. "Don't you get it? Sky told me he doesn't want to be with me! He'd rather stay in Neverland than come home with me."

"Can you blame him, Corie? He's never been out of there. It scares the hell out of him."

I sighed impatiently. "You just don't get it, Ali. Never mind." I swung my legs around and faced the back of the bus seat where plenty of conversations were still going on.

Ali sat in her spot, but she was still facing me. "I don't get it?" she repeated. I could feel the icy tone in her voice. "I don't get it?" she repeated more slowly.

I felt guilt rise up inside me, but I still chose not to look at her. "I didn't mean it like that."

"It sure felt like you did."

I groaned. "I know Peter and you love each other, but--."

"Yes. We _do _love each other, and I know exactly what you're feeling right now."

I met her eyes hesitantly and her gaze was even colder than her tone. "Ali," I started.

"Corie, Peter is more homebound than Sky will ever be. If I even mentioned the fact of him coming home with me, he would probably make me leave Neverland without even saying goodbye. That's how stubborn he is."

I sighed. "I understand that, but--."

"But nothing! I get that you and Sky have a stronger love than anyone I've ever known, but it doesn't give you the right to say that I don't understand what you're going through. Because I as hell do know!"

She finished her rant, her chest heaving with exasperated breaths. I stared at her my eyes wide. "Are you done?" I asked quietly.

Ali looked down at her fists and slowly uncurled her fingers. "Yes," she said breathlessly. "Yes, I'm done."

I hesitated. "Good." She looked up at me. "Because I'm so sorry." Ali stopped her heavy breathing at once. "I've been such a jerk to you, Ali…even after you took care of me last night. I don't deserve you. You're the best friend a girl could have, and I totally took advantage of your kindness yesterday and today."

Her eyes were much gentler, yet she still looked a little peeved. She nodded her head with sympathy. "It's okay, Corie. I get how upset you are."

"That's not an excuse," I continued. "I know how much you and Peter love each other, and I know how hard it is going to be for you when you two separate; I just can't even imagine how heartbroken the two of us will be the day we leave altogether."

At this, Ali seemed to forgive me completely. The same look that was sure to be in my eyes reflected into hers. She looked down at her feet, shaking her head. "I can't believe we only have a couple days left with them." She looked back up at me, her voice slightly shaking. "Only three days left."

I reached forward and grabbed her hand. "Only three days left."

Finally, a slight smile reached her lips and the corner of her mouth twitched upward. "Sky's going to contact you somehow."

These words totally surprised me and I leaned back from her, my hand leaving hers. "What?"

She still had that smile on her face. "Sky's going to contact you somehow—I know it."

I shook my head, completely bewildered. "Where did _that_ come from?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I just have a feeling, you know? Sky would never leave you hanging like that. He loves you too much."

"What? You think he's going to fly here and tell me he wants to leave Neverland with me?" I asked, laughing glumly.

Ali bit her lip nervously. "Well, maybe not that."

I laughed bitterly.

"But," she started eagerly, "he's going to tell you somehow that he will always love you, and that he wants you to come back to Neverland tonight."

I shook me head again. "I don't think so, Ali. I don't think he's tractable enough to do that."

She frowned. "Don't give up too easily, Corie."

"I'm not! It's just that I see _no _way of him communicating with me."

Ali was looking over my shoulder, a bright smile on her face. "I wouldn't be too sure of that."

I followed her gaze and turned my head to the window beside Elaine. She was now resting her head against it, soft snores escaping her throat. Also, a flapping noise made harmony with her rales. I looked above her head and saw that a folded piece of paper was pressed tight against the window, flapping with the wind outside of the bus.

My head flew around to meet Ali's gaze. She was giggling quietly, her hands clasped together.

"How did--? What--?"

Ali laughed out loud at that. "I _told _you he'd find a way to communicate with you."

I looked back at the note, completely in shock. The hole in my chest slightly filled in a little bit more. I turned back to Ali. "How did it get there?"

"How do you think?" Ali asked sarcastically.  
I smiled at once. "Peter."

Ali nodded excitedly. "I saw him slip it there right when we finished our sad, little conversation." I still stared at her, fully in awe of the present moment. "Well, what are you waiting for?" she cried out. "Open it!"

"Oh!" I said, jumping in my spot. "Right!"

I reached across sleeping Elaine and pulled the note out of its tight, small spot in the closed window. I sat back in my seat and stared down at the white, folded paper. I could see the ink pressed through the paper, yet I couldn't make out any of the words yet. The only one I saw was the one scribbled neatly on top. "Corie," it said.

Tears immediately welled in my eyes.

"I'll let you get to that," Ali said, smiling at me.  
I looked up and grinned at her. She turned around and asked to share Lisa's other headphone.

This was it. This was I needed to heal the hole in my chest. Just to see Sky's words would bring his voice, his scent, his face back into my mind, and all would be well again.

I slowly unfolded the letter, making sure not to cause any rips or creases. All the words were faded blobs to me as I divulged the letter to its full state. His words went down the full page, and his signature was at the bottom. Seeing that he had written this made more tears come, but I wouldn't allow them to fall from my eyes. It was time to read what he had to say.

I started to read.

"Corie, there is so much for me to say to you. I know that you are reading this, your heart probably as empty as mine, but I want you to know that just the thought of you forgiving makes me have hopeful leaps in my chest.

"I hope that you will forgive me, no matter how difficult it may be for you. I broke your heart last night; I know that. I could see it in your eyes. Those beautiful eyes of yours reflected the betrayal that I put upon you last night. I'm sorry that I made your eyes do that. I am so sorry.

"Watching you leave me last night made me realize that I never want to break your heart again. That's the last thing I want. But it seems that we are at a crossroads: one way is pointed towards me leaving Neverland for eternity to be with you in a world I know nothing of. The other is pointed towards a life without you, a life that doesn't include my one true love but where I'm in a world that I know and feel comfortable in.

"I know you won't believe it, but even at this point, I'm still not one hundred percent sure of what I want. Please don't let this kill you anymore than it has already. I don't even want to imagine the tears that I have caused. It crushes my heart to even think about it. I love you too much.

"The point I'm trying to reach in this letter is me begging you to come back to me. I need you with me, Corie. Knowing that you might not come back to me makes me feel vulnerable—more vulnerable than I've ever felt. I need to feel you in my arms to bring back that filled heart of mine.

"We have three days left together, love. Three days of constant seconds together, three days of loving, and three days of me thinking it over. Yes…I'm going to think it over. And that's saying a lot for a stubborn boy like me. Every second that I'm with you, I will try to imagine what's to look forward to in my future. I need you to be patient with me. If I don't decide by the last day, I need you to understand that that is the way it's going to have to be. I'm very indecisive, as you know.

"So, I will wait here all night, waiting for you to be by my side again. I won't be whole until I see your chestnut-colored hair, your always-changing eyes, and that dazzling smile of yours. If you choose to come, I need to see all of those things—even the last one, Corie. You must promise me that.

"I also had a promise to keep, and I have prepared for it the last couple days. I don't know if you remember or forget a certain tree house that Peter and I put together. I promised that we would get back to what we were doing that day, and that is a promise I plan on keeping. There's not one other person on the planet that I would want to do that with. It's only you, Corie. I want it to be perfect, and I know it will be. I know it.

"I end this note begging you to come back to me, begging you to forgive me, and telling you how much I love you. I also want you to know that I will continue to consider your offer. It was just too much to handle for me before. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I finally have the courage to think over your request. Your opinion means more to me than anything else.

"Come back to me, Corie. Forgive me. I love you.

Love always, Sky."

It was perfect. It was everything that I wanted to hear and more. A tear suddenly fell from my cheek and landed right onto his signature. The moisture made the scribbled cursive slide together and form into an illegible word. I stared down at it, my heart beating against my chest.

The hole was closed, yet still not healed. He still didn't know what he truly wanted, and I had to convince him to come home with me. It was going to be tough, but I was willing to do anything to have Sky in my life.

"That good, huh?"

I looked up and saw Ali was staring at me, her eyes curious and anxious at the same time.

I half laughed, half sobbed. "Yes," I said, folding up the letter. "Yes, it was that good."

Ali continued to stare at me, a small smile on her face. "So, you're going back to him."

It wasn't a question, and it wasn't a request; it was a known fact. I looked at her, a huge grin on my face. "Yes. I'm going back to him tonight."

_Emotions! Sorry that chapter was full of tears, but I have to admit, there will probably be much more tears. I love that you guys continue to leave me comments. I absolutely love seeing that someone has said something about my story. It makes me really happy. I'll update soon!_


	18. Meant to be One

Hey guys

_Hey guys! This chapter is BIG! Something very big happens, and I hope that it goes as well as I am planning it to be. Enjoy, and thanks for the reviews!_

**Meant to be One**

It was nightfall by the time we reached our hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon. The hotel was absolutely adorable. It was only a couple blocks from the house of Anne Hathaway, William Shakespeare's wife. The hotel was surrounded by a beautiful garden and had a white picket fence curving around it. It was more of a bed and breakfast than an actual hotel.

As I got off the bus with my suitcase in hand, I looked up at the windows of the small hotel. There were no balconies. I shrugged my shoulders and lifted my purse onto my shoulder. I knew that Peter could handle no balconies.

Dr. Brady told us to go to our rooms right when we got our keys. It was quite late, and it had been a long day of traveling.

We four got our room key which was on the second floor. The hotel was quite narrow, so there were four floors. Ali and I gave each other looks of despair that we weren't the highest floor in the building.

Right as we made it to our room, Elaine and Lisa plopped down on the bed closest to the door, and Ali and I plopped down on the bed closest to the window. It was just as it had always been.

There were two windows facing out onto the beautiful garden in the front of the hotel. They were very tall and hung out over the ground. The windowsill was very thick, making it much easier for us to get in and out.

The room was small, yet quite adorable. There were homemade paintings of children on swings, mothers gardening, and lovers holding hands. It was a perfect room to end the trip with.

Slowly and reluctantly, we all went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. I couldn't help but notice that I was anticipating seeing Sky again. It wasn't just because of the fight we had had, but something in his letter pointed to going to the tree house again. Of course, I was excited for that, but I knew that if we went, nothing would get in our way this time.

"Good night, guys," Lisa yawned from the other bed.

"Good night," Ali and I responded.

Elaine was already asleep.

We didn't need to set the alarm, because our concert was in the late afternoon. I stared at the hands of clock, letting my eyelids droop over to cloud my vision. Very suddenly, I was asleep.

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There was a tapping on the window.

My eyes flew open, and I saw that Ali was already out of bed. She ran to the window, putting her finger to her mouth. Clearly, she had forgotten to unlock it. Peter was floating outside, looking very annoyed.

"How could you forget to unlock it?" he asked as soon as Ali had let him in.

"I'm sorry!" she breathed. "I didn't realize that it was locked. I was exhausted last night."

Peter slightly laughed and then suddenly stopped when he saw me walking towards him. "Hey, Corie," he said cautiously. "How are you?"

I gave him a broad smile. "I'm great, Peter. I really am."

It took him a minute to respond. He smiled back. "Good. I'm glad."

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My heart was beating against my chest as we flew over the woods. I had never felt this way before. To see Sky's face would make my anxiety level go even higher. I didn't want him to see me nervous, but I couldn't see a way of avoiding it.

We started to descend, and I could already see the Lost Boys running towards us through the breaks in the trees. As we came nearer, I noticed that the tallest one of them was not waiting eagerly for us. I felt my heart drop.

We landed and they all came towards us for our greetings. All of them seemed a little more careful when they said hello to me. It was as if I could break any moment. My cheeks slightly reddened when I thought about my freak out from last night. I was so embarrassed that they saw me like that.

"Corie."

I turned around and saw that Nibbs was looking up at me.

"Hello, Nibbs," I said warmly.

He smiled. "Sky is waiting for you in the clearing where you practiced fighting."

"Oh."

"He wants you to go there right away."

I nodded, feeling that it was harder for me to breathe. "Just leave you all?"

Nibbs nodded. "It's okay. We'll all see you later."

Ali and Peter were talking with the Lost Boys and were clearly distracted. It seemed it was planned though. They had known that Sky had wanted to get me alone.

I sighed and looked back at Nibbs. "Thank you, Nibbs. For everything."

He got the meaning of my words and nodded his head. "My pleasure, Corie. My pleasure."

He pointed me in the direction of the clearing, and I started my hike through the tight trees.

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I had been walking for about ten minutes and I didn't feel too attractive. My hair was sticking to the back of my neck, and I had to roll up my sleeves so as to get air to my body. It was a very, hot day in Neverland.

Suddenly, I realized that I was steps from the clearing. I stopped in my tracks and my mouth gaped open. Sky was waiting for me, only feet away. My knees were shaking, and I was digging my fingernails into my palms. I peeked through the branches of the trees and could make out the back of Sky's tall frame. Seeing him changed something in me. I realized that I had nothing to be afraid of. This was the man that I loved, no matter what he had done or said to me. The hole in my chest had been filled in.

I quickly walked through the last couple steps of the woods and right into the clearing.

Sky flew around at my steps. "Corie," he breathed, right as he saw me.

When I heard him say my name, something snapped inside me. I quickly broke into a run and ran to him as fast as I could. He dropped a large stick that he had been wringing in his hands and waited for me to come to him. Sobs erupted from me, and I was only steps away from him. Finally, with a slight jump, I landed in his arms, and he slammed his lips against mine.

Everything was healed. It didn't matter what he had said. I was completely fine now. Just feelings his lips move against mine was all I needed. Sky had never kissed me like this, and I knew that I wanted him…more than I've ever wanted anything. I could feel the desire in him too, and it was absolutely killing me the way he was pressing himself against me.

Sky continued to kiss me, touching every part of me. It felt like we had been separated for so long, and it made physical pain shoot through my heart. He hitched up my leg and held it against his arm. I groaned as his lips left mine and went to my cheek, my neck, my chest.

"Tree house," was all I could manage to get out.

Sky suddenly stopped what he was doing, yet I could still feel his indomitable breath against my bare skin. Slowly, he looked up at me, his eyes questionable. I pushed his sandy, blonde hair out of his face so I could get a better look at him.

"Corie," he said breathlessly. He took a couple more breaths, looking straight into my eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he finally asked.

I still felt that strange longing inside me that I couldn't quite explain. Just the fact that Sky's arms were around me was enough, but I knew that we both wanted more. He and I had been dreaming of this for so long, and I could see it in his dark eyes. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him.

After a second, I nodded my head. "Yes," I whispered. "Of course." I put my mouth to his ear. "I want you." And I nibbled his earlobe the tiniest bit to assure him of my decision.

Sky made a ticking noise with his tongue as if to warn me of something. He then gently set me down on the ground, still holding onto my shoulders. For a second, I thought he was going to say something serious, but then a smile spread across his face. "You'll be the end of me, Corie. I know it," he said.

We both laughed, and I grabbed his hand. "You too." I placed his hand against my cheek to just feel his warmth against me again.

He immediately stopped laughing and made that ticking noise again. "Okay, okay. Let's go."

I giggled, and he scooped me into his arms.

The whole time we were flying, I stared at every inch of Sky. I was memorizing him…not letting his image leave my mind. Every so often, he would make eye contact with me and kiss me somewhere differently than the time before. Each time, chills would pop out over every length of my skin.

After what seemed like five minutes, Sky sighed. "We're here." And he smiled at me.

I looked to the left and saw that the tree house was sitting there by itself…like it had been waiting for us to come back. It was a perfect setting, and I was absolutely amazed that it was there for us. It seemed like it had been built by Sky and Peter as if they had known I would come to them one day.

Sky flew over the railing of the balcony, me still in his arms. I thought he was going to set me down on the wooden planks of the balcony, but he soared right over those and into the inside of the house.

We flew over the length of the room right over to the couch. I smiled as I realized what he was up to. After flying over the headboard of the couch, he began to drop closer towards the ground. He slowed down and lowered himself right over the cushions. Gently, and with grace, he made me descend upon the couch.

I felt the comfort of the sofa against my back, and I sighed with relief. Sky still hovered over me, smiling that sexy grin of his. Chills came over my arms again. It seemed he could never surprise me with that smile of his.

"Wait one second," he whispered. With that, he flew over the headboard and soared out of the room onto the balcony.

"Where are you going?" I hissed after him, but he had not heard me.

After half a minute, Sky was back, and he was walking on his feet. He was holding two candles, one in each hand. I stared at him in shock as he brought it over to the coffee table that sat in front of the couch. He set them down and reached into his jeans pocket.

"Candles?" I asked, a laugh escaping my lips.

He turned around with a frown. "What's wrong with that?" His hands came out of his pocket, and he was holding a match.

"Oh, nothing. It's just so…" I watched him strike the match, and a flame popped up in his hands. "…cliché."

Sky chuckled, bending over the wicks of the candle to ignite them. "I know what you mean. But I thought that it would set the mood better." He stood up straight and blew out the match. He then looked right at me. "If you haven't noticed, this place is covered in dust." I giggled, and he followed suit. "Not very sexy."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't care wherever we are." When I said the words, I realized that I truly meant them. I saw Sky look at me curiously. "I really don't," I assured him.

He smiled and looked around the room. "I actually think this is quite perfect."

"Me too."

The smile left his face, and an intent look crossed his features. It made my heart skip a couple beats, and I had forgotten how to breathe.

"You know what else is perfect?" He had lowered himself so that he was now crouching towards me. It looked like he was a lion, and he was about to pounce on his prey. His hands were on the cushion of the couch, and he was leaning closer and closer towards me.

"No," I said, my voice violently shaking.

He smiled, and my insides were on flame. "What do you think, Corie?"

I had sat up when he was lighting the candles, and he was now stooped over me so that he was hovering on top of my body. The muscles in his arms were quivering, and I could see their defined shapes out of the corners of my eyes. His face was right above me, and I felt like an ant looking up at a known enemy.

"You…?" I guessed, trying to keep my cool.

Sky chuckled and shook his head. "Don't be an idiot. You _know_ what I think is perfect."

His face was inches from mine, and I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I felt like everything was shaking inside me. I felt out of control…but in a good way.

"Do you give up?" he whispered against the hollow of my neck. He then gently pressed his lips against my throat.

I tried to think of something witty to say, but all words were soaring out of my head. "Yes," I breathed. He had defeated me.

He laughed, and I could still feel his breath against my neck. Slowly, he lifted his head and looked right at my eyes. "_You_ are, Corie," he answered. "You are perfect."

I shook my head dumbly, and he rolled his eyes. "Yes, you are. You are everything that is good for me. I know that, so you can't deny it."

I couldn't deny that when he was looking at me like the way he was. Sky had complete control over me. I really didn't mind it though. I guess that was the way I wanted it to be.

He pressed his forehead against mine. "I love you."

My heart stopped. "I love you too."

I hadn't realized it, but Sky had been tugging at my shirt the entire time. I laughed at the understanding and slowly lifted up my arms. Sky looked punctilious as he gripped the end of my shirt and, bit-by-bit, lifted up my top so that it went over my head. As soon as it was completely off of me, Sky smiled and threw it over the couch. I laughed at that.

After that, I took Sky's shirt off. This time it was much quicker, because I couldn't help the feeling of anxiety in me. I too threw his shirt over the couch, and he smiled dangerously at me. "Corie," he whispered.

I looked down at his bare chest, completely in awe of how perfect he was. Every line of his front was absolutely flawless. His abs were perfectly bordered and defined his tan shape even more. I lifted my right hand up and began to trace every crease on his torso. The whole time I touched him, he stared at me, a resolute look on his face.

After a minute (he had gotten too antsy) he gently tugged off my pajama pants. They laid forgotten at the edge of the sofa, and thoughts of when they would come back on made me giggle again.

Sky suddenly slid a blanket down on top of us which had been hanging over the headboard of the couch. "Is that better?" he asked.

"Yes."

He smiled and then unbuttoned his own pants. With a little bit of difficulty, he took those off himself and threw them over where our two shirts were lying.

This is where my heart started to beat quite heavily.

Sky slid his hands across my back where my bra was being kept together. Without any quandary, he unhooked the clasp. I looked at him with impressed eyes. "Wow," I said.

He laughed, his cheeks a bit red. "I don't know how I did that."

"Sure you don't."

He stopped laughing and took the bra's straps off my shoulders. As if he was asking for permission, he looked down at me with cautious eyes.

"Sky," was all I said.

He sighed and slid my bra off completely.

The look in his eyes made a giggle escape my lips.

"What?" he asked, looking right at me.

I could feel the tension in his body now. We both knew what was going to happen, but the moment was so perfect. I couldn't let it go to waste.

"Hey," I said gently. "Hey." I touched his face, and he looked right into my eyes.

"Don't be afraid," I murmured. "I love you."

The look of fear left Sky's face, and a smile slowly met his lips. "I know you do. I love you too."

And with that, our lips met. Everything was perfect. It only took a couple more minutes for us to get all of our clothes off completely. I was amazed by how comfortable I felt in Sky's bare arms. I wasn't scared anymore. I knew right at the moment when we became one that this was the way it was meant to be. We were meant to be together.

Forever.

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Sky was fast asleep, completely exhausted. I was resting my head against his bare chest, smiling down at his closed eyes. My hair was fanned out over his frame. His chest was glistening and his short breaths gave me reason to believe that he was hot.

"Sky," I whispered. He made no sudden movements. "Sky."

This time, his eyes twitched the smallest bit.

I smiled. "Sky," I said in a singsong voice.

A groan escaped his parted lips.

I kissed his chest. "Sky," I repeated.

"What?" he moaned.

I laughed. "Wake up."

"No."

"Come on."

"No."

"Please."

He sighed. "You will be the death of me, Corie."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yes you will. I need to sleep."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"Skyyyyyyy."

"Don't do that to me, Corie."

I had nibbled his earlobe again, which I knew was his weakness. I laughed in victory. "Why not?"

He groaned. "Because I need to sleep, and if you keep doing that, I'm going to have to get up."

"Well, I agree with the 'getting up' part."

For a second, I thought he was going to close his eyes and go back to sleep. But then, very abruptly, he sprang up from his lying position and grabbed me around my torso.

"Sky!" I squealed.

He laughed, and I couldn't help but join in with him as he continued to tackle me against the couch. Very soon, I was the one pinned against the armrest of the opposite side of the couch, and Sky was hovering over me with a victorious look on his face.

"All right. I'm up," he said shortly.

"Get off."

"Nope. You wanted me to get up, and now I'm up."

It was lucky that a blanket was covering us, because if anyone had walked in on this moment, it would have looked very strange. But to me and Sky, it was just us being ourselves.

I sighed and finally brought my hands down in defeat. "Fine. You win this time." I narrowed my eyes at him.

He chuckled and then snuggled himself beside me. Soon, we were in the same position as before. I was pressed up against his bare chest, which was still glistening from the recent activity.

"I love you so much," I whispered to him.

I saw his head incline towards mine. "I love you too. More than you'll ever know."

I shook my head. "It scares me how much I love you," I admitted. "It's almost like an addiction."

He kissed the top of my damp hair. "Like a heroin addict."

I laughed, my chest rising in the air. "That's great. We love each other like heroin addicts."

"That's fine for me," Sky responded.

I flipped over so that I had my hands under my chin to rest against his chest. I was looking right up at his face. "We'll do this next time, won't we?"

He rolled his eyes. "So, that's what you meant when you said you're a heroin addict. You like all the action, no talk?"

I hit his shoulder. "I did not mean that, and you know that."

He shrugged his shoulders. "How am I supposed to know?"

I frowned, and he leant down and kissed me gently on the lips.

"I'd be happy to do this again next time," he said with all seriousness. "I'd be happy to do it right now." And just as soon as the seriousness had come, it left. He was now beaming a mischievous grin.

"No. I refuse. I will not tire you out more than you already are."

Sky shook his head. "Corie, I don't get tired. I just need a little breaky break between each session."

I hit his arm again. "Don't get into that attitude with me, mister. You are _so _lucky that I am even here with you right now."

His arms filled with that warm love of his. "You're right," he whispered, reaching down to brush the hair out of my face. "I am." And he smiled.

Every part of me was on fire. Being with him never got tiring for me. I sighed as he grinned that sexy smile of his. Then, I pushed my lips against him fiercely. "Once more for the road," I muttered against his lips.

I felt him grin against my lips, and suddenly, he was out of his lying position and now hovering over me, looking totally in control.

We both laughed and held each other until it was time for me to leave.

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I watched Sky as he slipped on his forgotten shirt. I couldn't take my eyes off the way every muscle in his torso moved as he held up his arms to dress himself. As soon as the shirt was over his head, he looked over at me with a smile.

"What are you looking at?"

I grinned and shrugged my shoulders. "Just admiring you." I pulled my sweatpants up over my legs and tightened the straps of my bra.

Sky's eyes slowly scanned over my bare stomach. I could feel the desire in him from across the room. The way he looked at me made me feel beautiful. And no one had ever made me feel that way before.

"I'm admiring you too," he said.

I laughed and then made him frown when I slipped on my shirt. "Don't look like that," I said to his puppy dog frown. "We've been here forever, and I really need to get back."

Sky crossed the room to me in only a couple steps. Gently, he brushed the hair out of my face. "I can't wait for you to come back," he whispered against my forehead.

Shivers went down my spine. "I know," I agreed. "Neither can I." I took my forehead off of his and looked up into his eyes. "But I need to go back every day so that you can _think_ about some things we've already discussed."

I saw a small bit of realization hit Sky's eyes. He sighed and looked down at his feet. My heart slightly dropped at this reaction, but then I saw that he was nodding. "Yes. Yes," he said, looking back at me. "I have been and will continue to keep thinking about it."

I kissed the tip of his nose. "Thank you. That's all I want."

He smiled. "If that's what my reward is every time I make you happy, then I'm planning on doing many more favors for you."

I kissed him on the cheek. "Well, _that's_ for tonight."

He playfully frowned. "On the cheek? I deserve better for that."

I giggled. "I don't think so. You haven't done _that_ much for me."

His mouth gaped open. "Excuse me?" he cried. "I set up this entire night, and you say that I haven't done _that much_? I'm hurt."

I couldn't resist his sad glower. I went up on my tiptoes and kissed him entirely on the lips. "There," I said, once we separated. "How was that?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Could be better."

My mouth fell. "'Could be better?' How could that--?"

Suddenly, Sky scooped me into his arms and pressed his lips against mine. For a second, I struggled against him, trying to pry him off. However, he was putting all passion and fervor into the kiss. I melted against him and wrapped my arms around his neck. I didn't care that he had insulted me; this moment was just too perfect to give up.

The two of us stood in Sky's tree house, Sky holding me in his arms, my legs popped up in the air, and us two completely in love.


	19. Changing a Happy Thought

**Changing a Happy Thought**

Sky and I flew back to the hideout, hand-in-hand. We smiled at each other every so often or squeezed the other's hand. It was like we had our own personal secret. Everything had changed between us, but in a completely good way.

As we landed, I let go of Sky's hand and started to walk towards the secret entrance. But as I took a step, Sky suddenly grabbed onto my wrist and pulled me towards him.

"What are you doing?" I laughed as I pressed up against his chest.

He did not possess a look of humor on his face. Sky was looking at me with one of the most intense looks he had ever given me.

"I want to tell you something," he said.

The smile came off my face. "Okay, go ahead, baby."

He put his hands on my shoulders and took a deep breath. "Everything is different now, Corie." My eyes widened at his words, yet he still looked down at me with that serious look of his. "You will always be a part of me," he whispered.

"I know that--."

"Don't say anything. Just not yet," he ordered.

I shut my mouth.

Sky continued, still holding onto me like I was going to run away. "I know that we are meant to be together. I know that we were put on the Earth to find each other someday. I know that this relationship we have is a rare gift."

I smiled.

Sky kissed the tip of my nose, yet it wasn't that familiar kiss that I always felt from his lips. A sense of nervousness climbed into my heart. I didn't want that hole in my chest to be reopened.

"Corie, I love you _so_ much. Like a heroin addict." He laughed.

Seeing that laugh made me feel much better. I saw my Sky in that laugh. The Sky that I was glad to be with.

That was when a certain look crossed his features. It almost looked like regret. "I love you, Corie. And you love me. I know that." He sighed, looking down at his feet. I noticed that he was still holding onto me. I feared that if he let go, he would fall to the ground. Finally, his eyes reached mine, and I felt my heart skip a beat. "Don't make me your only hope, Corie."

I stared at him, completely at a loss for words. Everything he had said was not for his own sake, it was only for mine. He was the most selfless person I knew. I still didn't have anything to say to him. I gazed at him like he was a crazy person.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

I shook my head with a slight laugh. "You scared me for a second," I said, grabbing his hand on my right shoulder.

He looked down at me, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I thought you were going to break up with me or something."

His brows furrowed. "Why would I do that?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Because you change your mind about important matters every five minutes." He opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. "But that's not the point! I want you to know something too.

"Sky…I love you more than anything in this world. I would give up everything just to have you in my life. Don't for one second tell me to move on from you, because I know that's what you're doing."

He gave me a grim smile. "I'll ruin you, Corie."

I rolled my eyes. "You always tell me how you'll ruin me; you never let me be the judge of that." I took his hands in mine. "Sky, you are the reason why I live. I don't need anyone else in my life to have hope. You _are _my only hope. No matter what happens."

"No. Don't say that. Because I know that you can live without me."

"But that's just it. I can't." I leaned towards him, looking at him through his soft locks of hair. "Don't tell me to move on from you. Because there's no other way to have it in my life. I know that you're concerned for me, but there's nothing for you to worry about," I finished with a laugh.

"But that's just it," he said, looking up at me. "I have _so _much to worry about if I come to the real world with you. We love each other more than anything; I'd feel like I'd be taking away from your life back at home."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Yes, it does, Corie." He squeezed my fingers. "Think about it. Even if you _do_ explain the strange circumstances of how we met to your mother and father, how do you think I'm going to start out in this world? You're going to have to help me. I'll have to mooch off you and live with you."

"And that's fine!"

He sighed impatiently. "You always say that, but it's so difficult to even imagine starting a life out there."

I felt my heart drop at his words. "This isn't your final decision on that matter, is it?"

He looked up at my words and put his hands on face. "No, babe. That's not what I meant. What I mean is—are you sure this is the life you want? A life with me…and pretty much, only me?"

I didn't even have to hesitate. I reached my hand up to hold his. "Yes, Sky. This is the life I want. A life where neither of us has to live without the other. That's _all_ I want."

A small smile touched the corners of his lips. "I just wanted to hear your opinion on the matter."

He leaned down and kissed me lightly on the lips. I felt all nerves rush out of my system and felt only complete adrenaline as Sky's lips moved with mine.

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"Sky and Corie!"

"Where have you been?!"

"We've been waiting for you!"

"It's almost time for Corie to go home. You've been hogging her."

The minute we walked down the stairs, the Lost Boys attacked us with questions. I merely laughed and brushed back each of their pallets of hair. "Don't worry, boys. I'm all yours now."

I looked through the pack of boys, right to where Ali and Peter were sitting at the table. My eyes met Ali, and the minute they did, red flushed to my cheeks. I tried to play it off by waving and smiling, but she just twinkled her fingers at me with a knowing smile on her face.

To get out of the situation, I started up a conversation with Sky, walking slowly towards the table.

"Sky…" I said dangerously.

"What?"

I looked up at him and saw that he had a forced innocent look on his face. I hit him on the arm.

"Ouch!" he cried out, holding the spot I hit him. "What the hell was that for?"

"You told Peter and Ali?" I hissed at him.

"No, not quite."

"'Not quite?'"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I told Peter."

I hit him again.

"Okay, you really need to stop doing that. You're good at it."

"Sky, why would you tell Peter? That is _so_ embarrassing."

Sky scoffed. "Oh, come on. Like you weren't going to tell Ali all about it?"

My face dropped. "It's not the same."

"Aha!" he said, pointing at my face. "You can't be a hypocrite. I'm allowed to tell my best friend, and you're allowed to tell yours." He smiled smugly. "I only gave a hint to Peter; I told him we were planning a special night in the tree house."

I rolled my eyes. "That pretty much points to everything."

He glowered at me.

"It's fine," I said, raising my hand up. "I get it. I know that Peter is your best friend."

He started to smile. "And Ali is your best friend…"

"And I have to tell her all the juicy details of tonight," I leered, leaning towards his face.

He stared at me for a second and then brushed my bangs back. "I'm fine with that," he said.

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We all stood in the Fairy Forest, saying our goodbyes. I kissed each Lost Boy on the top of their heads, knowing that I only had two days left with them. The thought of it made my heart quiver.

I saved Sky for last, of course. Meanwhile, Ali was going around saying her goodbyes.

"These next couple days are going to be your best," Sky said, swinging his arms playfully.

I smiled, but I couldn't help but feel saddened by his words.

Sky must have seen my hesitation, because he stopped swinging his arms and grabbed my two hands. "Hey," he said, pulling me to him. He popped my chin up so I could look in his chocolate eyes. "Don't even think about that, Corie. I don't want any of the sullenness around here."

I sighed. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Sky said firmly. "I know what you're feeling, I truly do. But all I want to see is that beautiful smile of yours. I don't want that frown of yours—even though it _is_ a cute frown."

I laughed, and Sky kissed me one last time.

We parted, this time being more different. Everything _had_ changed between us, and I knew that it was for the good. Because in the end, Sky would always be my first. He was much more than that. He was my first, my present, my always.

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The second Ali came into the room after giving Peter a goodbye kiss, she ran to the bed, quietly squealing. She jumped and landed Indian style on the mattress. "Okay," she whispered. "Tell me everything."

I giggled. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything!"

I grimaced. "You have to ask me some questions. I don't know where to start."

She sighed. "Okay…I have plenty: Did it hurt? What were you feeling? What was it like afterwards? Were there ever any awkward moments? More than once? Did it make you love him more?" She tilted her head to the side. "Yeah," she confirmed. "That's pretty much it."

"All right, well…"

"Wait!" Ali stopped me. She looked over my shoulder and crawled to my side of the bed. "Lisa! Elaine!" she hissed at our two friends.

"What are you doing? They're dead asleep."

She looked at me like I was insane. "They won't be in a second."

Ali called their names again, and both of them started to stir.

"What?" Lisa groaned.

"Is it time to get up?" Elaine asked.

"Nope," Ali said with a smile. "Corie just wants to talk to you about her night tonight."

I rolled my eye with a smile.

Lisa stared at me for a second, her eyes narrow. "That's nice, but can't we talk about this tomorrow? I'm really tired." She rolled over on her side so that she was facing the wall.

Ali looked at me with an irritated look. She then turned back to our two friends. "Fine. She'll tell you all about her and Sky having sex tomorrow."

In about three seconds, Elaine and Lisa bounded out of bed and jumped onto ours. I bounced up and down with the power of their eagerness.

"Oh my God!" Elaine cried, grabbing onto my hands. "Tell us _everything_!"

Lisa nodded her head, her eyes alight. "Every juicy detail."

And with that, we were up for another hour, my friends and I going over the perfect night that I had shared with Sky.

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The alarm clock went off much too early. We were able to sleep in, but I felt like I had just shut my eyes when that annoying buzzing sounded. It wasn't the fact that I was tired; I knew that these were our last couple of days. I put my hand to my chest.

"Corie, get first shower," Ali whispered next to me. "You haven't gotten it for a while."

I smiled to her in thanks and got out of bed, stretching my arms up. Elaine and Lisa smiled their sleepy grins at me, and I followed suit. I walked past both beds and into the bathroom.

In the shower, I realized that I was washing off every track of Sky off me. As the water poured over my body, I gently touched my arms where Sky had trailed his fingers as he laid beside me. The thought of it made my knees slightly buckle. I touched my hair where Sky had entwined his fingers in. I noticed that this was wasting much too time. I scooted the thought of Sky out of my head, but he would always permanently be imprinted on my heart. A small smile crossed my lips.

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"Corie, we only have one more concert, and guess who's singing at it?"

My whole group of friends was walking out of the small church where we had just performed. It had been a pretty good concert: not too many people, not too much applause, but we felt proud of our act for the English crowd.

I looked at my friend Amanda with a slight smile. "I guess I'm kind of nervous. I'll be a lot worse tomorrow—don't you worry about that."

She grinned at me. "You'll be fine. Just pretend you're singing for your family or something. Or pretend the audience is naked or something." She nudged my shoulder, and the two of us shared a hearty laugh.

All of a sudden, Elaine came to my right side and gave me a smirk. "Speaking of naked…" Then, she winked at me.

I gently smacked her arm.

She started to laugh, throwing her head back. "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist that."

I quickly looked to the left and saw that Amanda had walked ahead to join my friend, Michelle.

I looked back at Elaine with a glare on my face.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. You know you would do it to me if I was in your shoes."

I sighed and I stared to smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"You _know_ I'm right."

We walked out of the square where all the parked cars were. Dr. Brady made his way in front of all of us put his finger to his mouth to give a large whistle. We all got quite at once.

"All right. That concert was great; good job," he said briefly. "Now, tomorrow is our last concert, and although there will probably be the same number of people as always, please try your hardest to make it the best."

I gulped down the lump in my throat.

"I know it will be good." And he smiled brightly.

One of the counselors whispered something in Dr. Brady's ear, and our director's eyes lit. "Oh yes." He stood up straight and looked at all of us again. "Tonight is the dinner of your choice in the town, but tomorrow night, we're having a farewell dinner at a nice restaurant. This is the night where you're supposed to dress up nicely. Don't forget about that, okay, y'all?"

"Okay," we all chimed.

He looked down at his watch. "All right…it's around 4'o'clock right now. I want all of you back in your rooms in seven hours. If not, there will be severe consequences." He narrowed his eyes, but a smile was on his face. "Have fun, kids."

And with that, we were off for the day, just me and my friends shopping, laughing, and walking along the streets of Stratford-upon-Avon.

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Lisa and I walked arm-in-arm through the lobby of the hotel. We were both laughing about some drunken guy that had just made a move on us.

"Did you see how he practically spilled his drink on your dress?" Lisa cried out, putting her hand to her mouth.

"I know! And the way he was looking at you? He was pretty much drooling."

We burst into laughter, holding on to the other for support.

Ali and Elaine walked up behind us. "You guys are kind of looking like the drunken ones now," Elaine pointed out.

Ali nodded in agreement, and this set Lisa and I off even more.

"Corie!"

I slowly turned around, my laughter slightly fading. Across the lobby, I saw one of the counselors running towards me, a note in her hand. I took my arms out of Lisa's and waited patiently for the tall, brunette to make her way towards me.

"How are you doing?" I asked politely.

"Fine," she said with a smile. She handed the note to me. "This just came for you in the mail."

I looked down at the paper which had familiar writing pressing through the sheet. "Thanks so much," I said eagerly, quickly unfolding the letter.

The counselor walked away, and by the time she was out of the room, I was holding the letter straight out in front of me, staring down at the words.

It was a card from my two best friends at home: Sarah and Pam.

"Ooooohhh!" I squealed, grabbing tightly around the edges.

"Aw," Ali said, "it's from Sarah and Pam. That's so cute."

Elaine laughed. "The letter you send back to them will be a bit longer than theirs."

We all nodded in agreement. "I would need thirty pages to tell them what's been going on," I said glumly.

I felt a small sense of guilt rise up in me when I realized that I had always promised the two of them that they would be the first to know when I would lose my virginity. Of course, they didn't know that I had fallen in love, but I felt obligated to tell them in a better way.

I looked up at Lisa. "Does it cost much to call from here?"

Her eyes widened. "You want to _call_ them?"

"Yeah, come on! I can't write all that. So much has happened here that I feel they should know right now."

"Corie, it's quite a bit of money."

I sighed and looked down at the writing.

The two of them said how they missed all of us horribly. They wanted to know if I had "tapped anybody" yet, and if I had "picked anybody up" for them. They asked about the concerts and made sure to tell us about the juicy drama going on back home. Just seeing the words they had written made a small pit in my heart tighten up.

"I have to call them," I said finally.

"Really?" Ali asked in surprise.

"Yep. I have to. That's that."

I took out my phone. It was 10:31 meaning that it was 3:31 back home. "Perfect," I said with a smile. I opened my phone and chose "Pam" on my contacts list.

My three friends looked at me expectantly.

"I'll meet you guys up there at 11. I'm just giving them all the details."

They smiled and waved goodbye as they made their way on the elevator.

Pacing around the lobby, I listened to Pam's ring back tone, waiting and waiting for someone to answer.

"Pick up, pick up," I muttered to myself.

Finally, the music stopped, and I heard my friend's exasperated tone escape through the headpiece. "There you are! I've been _dying _to hear from you!"

I stopped pacing and started hopping up and down. "I miss you sooo much!"

"I miss you too!"

"Is Sarah with you?"

"Of course!—Sarah!" Pam called out of the headpiece. "Corie's on the phone….What?!...Corie! Yeah…Corie! Get over here!" I heard her turn her head back to the phone. "Oh my God, tell me everything! I've been making up stories in my head, but I want to know the real thing."

I shuffled my feet. "Oh, you have _no _idea."

I heard footsteps run into the same room as Pam. "Oh my God…Corie?!"

"Hey Sarah!" I yelled into the phone.

She gave an excited yelp. "How are you? Is England amazing?"

"It's beyond amazing…seriously."

Pam sighed. "Sarah, she was just about to tell me everything and then you interrupted."

I laughed.

"Oh, sorry," Sarah giggled. "Go on then. What have you been up to?"

Where to start? Peter Pan in my room, flying to Neverland, meeting Sky, being kidnapped, meeting Indians, kissing Sky, Peter and Ali falling in love, Sky and I falling in love, Sky deciding whether or not to be with me, Sky and I sleeping together…? Hmmm.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for this incredibly long story. "Well…you see? There's this boy…"

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I walked into our room at exactly 11:05. My phone was clasped in my right hand, still warm from being pressed against my face for 35 minutes. I knew that they would keep me on there that long; I had not been too surprised.

The two of them, at first, were unimaginative. They kept saying how I should stop lying about the whole Neverland story and tell them how I had _really_ met Sky. However, after explaining all the intricate details and of how Elaine, Lisa, and Ali had all gone with me, the story grew on them a little. They asked of the different creatures and if the mermaids were really as scary as they looked din the movie.

Then, it continued to Sky and me. They seemed a little nervous at that too. Sarah mentioned how I had only known him for about a week. But once I stared to describe him, every perfect little thing about him, they could hear in my voice that he was my absolute everything. When I reached the part where we slept together, they both screamed at the same time.

I had finished the conversation, telling them what position I was in. Either Sky was going to come home with me, or I would come home, broken-hearted and completely alone.

Elaine and Lisa looked up from the end of their bed. "How was it?" Elaine asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Same reactions as you guys."

They nodded, but then I saw that they gave each other knowing looks. They all too quickly looked back at me.

"What?" I asked shortly. I looked over at our bed, but I saw that Ali was in the bathroom.

They started to smile. "Nothing," Lisa crooned.

That's when I realized she was holding something underneath herself. I walked closer towards her, and her face dropped a bit.

"What are you holding?" I asked.

"Nothing…"

"Is it for me?"

She looked at Elaine out of the corner of her eye. "Maybe…"

I quickly reached underneath her tummy, grabbed her one arm so she couldn't fight me out, and easily took the unsealed letter out of her hand.

"Hey!" she complained.

"Way to go," Elaine grumbled.

I laughed at them and then looked down curiously at the letter. "Where did this come from?"

"It was taped to the outside of the window," Lisa answered. "We figured it was either for you and Ali…and we _needed_ to know. Soooo…"

"…you opened the letter, saw it was for me, and proceeded to read the entire thing…?" I finished for them.

They looked at each other for a brief moment. Then back at me. "Yeah, that's about right," Elaine answered.

I rolled my eyes and took the letter out of the envelope. Sky had elegantly written "Corie" on the front of the card.

"It's perfect," Elaine whispered.

"I agree."

The two of them were looking up at me with a mixture of jealousy and complete amazement.

It was too much for me. I ripped open the letter and stared keenly at Sky's words. I was surprised to see that only a couple words were on the page, but just seeing what he had written made tears come to my eyes at once.

_"Corie, being with you is my new happy thought, and it will be until the end of my days. Love always, Sky."_

_Hey guys! I just want you to know that I am going on vacation for two weeks, so I won't be able to update for a while. I'm sorry! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter though. I'll get back to it right when I get back._


	20. Our Love Never Gets Old

Sorry this took me so long to update

_Sorry this took me so long to update! As you know, I was on vacation for two weeks…then I started school (which is insanely hectic), and I've been busy with so much. But I'll try my hardest to keep updating! Thank for the reviews!_

Our Love Never Gets Old

It was easy to fall asleep that night; I had, in fact, talked for over half an hour about Sky to my two best friends, and I had a good, hearty cry over Sky's perfect letter. Sometimes, I hated how emotional I could get. But Sky knew exactly what to say to me. He knew how big a deal it was that we had slept together, and he wanted me to know that it meant as much to him as it did to me. That's why I loved him more than words could describe.

"Corie."

I opened my eyes and saw that Ali was sitting up, her face bright and eager. "Peter's here," she whispered.

I felt my heart leap…and drop at the same time. This was going to be the second to last time that Peter would ever come to bring us to Neverland. I couldn't believe how fast everything had happened. In a matter of ten days or so, I had fallen completely in love with the boy I was meant to be with. I was so lucky.

Ali and I quickly got our stuff together and ran to the window at the same time. Peter helped Ali up first, kissing her lightly on the lips. He then hoisted me up, a smile on his face.

"How are you, Corie?"

I grinned back. "I'm great."

It was obvious that Sky had told him everything. I felt like I wanted to hit Sky for that, and at the same time, kiss him as hard as I could. If he had told Peter everything, it was clear that it had meant a lot to him.

We were all on the sill, looking at the clear, night sky. It was absolutely beautiful that night; the stars were winking at us, asking us to join them. We gladly accepted and rose up into the sky, our arms extending to the endless heaven above.

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We landed in a new surrounding. Peter had hinted to us that the Lost Boys wanted to bring us somewhere we had never seen before. The trees made a little clearing in the forest where a bunch of naturally made swimming pools were linked together. The ocean was close by, so it was clear that the water would rise up to this level and fill in these various basins. The sapphire water twinkled and shone in the sun's path, and I immediately wanted to jump in. It was interesting to see the different sizes of the pools. Some were large; some were small; some were shallow; some were deep. But they all had a mysterious edge to them, almost as if they were carved out by men. It was magical to look at. Also, in the distance, there was a small waterfall against the largest cliff of Neverland. The three of us could hear the spray from where we were standing.

"It's beautiful," Ali said in a hushed voice.

"Isn't it?" Peter put his hand on the small of her back. "We come here rarely, because the tide has to be high in order to swim in them."

"This is so cool," I agreed.

The three of us marveled at the beauty of it all in silence.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Well that lasted.

The Lost Boys were charging towards us through the woods, pounding on their mouths like Tigerlily's family had. Ali and I laughed as they ran right past us and jumped into different pools in strange, synchronized jumps.

"Don't you love it here?" Slightly called to us once he resurfaced.

"It's perfect!" I cried out.

They all laughed and dove back under the surfaces, their small bodies doing flips underneath the water.

Suddenly, I felt hands on my shoulders, and his cool breath was against my bare neck. "You look _too _tempting today," he whispered against my skin. I immediately knew it was Sky the minute he touched me.

Chills erupted over my body. "'_Too_ tempting? What does that mean?" I asked Sky over my shoulder.

He swung me around and looked down with a fiery passion in his eyes. All the memories of the previous night came rushing into my mind. The sofa, the tree house, the soft, warm skin of Sky pressed against mine. I felt my cheeks grow red.

He smiled a smug smile and rubbed my cheek gently. "Why so embarrassed?"

I gave out a low sigh. "You can't just come out of nowhere like that. You took me by surprise."

A sexy chuckle escaped his lips. He was still giving me that look that caused unknown feelings fly throughout every nerve ending in my body. I knew what he was thinking of, and I was thinking about it right back. We wanted each other; it was that simple.

"Hey, you two!"

The two of us separated and looked to the right. Ali and Peter were floating in the water, broad smiles on their faces. "Aren't you coming in?" Ali asked.

I looked to Sky, almost begging him to get us away from all this. He winked and looked back at them. "We'll be right in!"

"We will…?" I whispered glumly.

He turned back to me, his eyebrows raised. "Disappointed are we?" I glared at him, my lips pouting. He came towards me again, laughing that symphony laugh of his. His hands rubbed up and down my spine, and I had to hold in a gasp. "We'll be right in…and then we'll be right out," he whispered.

I looked up into his dark eyes. "I don't think I can wait that long," I admitted.

He let out a booming laugh, still holding onto me. I slapped against his chest to stop his jesting. "Little Miss Corie is becoming a sex addict," he teased after he stopped laughing.

I tried to frown, but a small smile played at the corners of my lips. "That's not what I meant; you know that."

"What did you mean?" he asked curiously.

I rubbed the biceps of his arms as gently as I could. Victory played before my eyes as I saw the smile drop from his face, and I saw the small goose bumps pop up on his skin. Being pressed against his chest, I could hear the faint thumping of his heart become uneven.

"I want to be with you." Although it didn't sound intelligent, he knew exactly what I meant. He looked down at me in agreement. "Your letter was--."

"I'm sorry about that, babe. I couldn't think of anything to say, so I just wrote down the first thing I thought of…"  
I pressed my finger against Sky's lips, and an electric current appeared before us. I dropped my finger before anything drastic happened in front of all of those people. He looked at me with inquisitive eyes.

"It was perfect," I said demurely. "It was everything that I wanted to hear." I remembered the tears from last night. "It was everything and more," I laughed.

He swiped his finger against my jaw line. "Just like you."

I smiled up at him, every part of my face dazzling.

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Sky and I had lasted maybe fifteen minutes in the natural pools before we couldn't stand it any longer. It was especially harder when I had to look at his half naked form; I had to practically cling on to Ali to contain myself. Once he had gone under the water, I knew I was a goner. The way his blonde, shaggy hair shook out all the dampness was unbearable to look at. In order to get back at him, I knew ways to make him weaken. Whenever he would pass by me, I would gently run my finger down the creases of his back. His body would naturally shake, as if he was a dog shaking the water off itself. I made sure to tie my shirt up so that it was exposing my stomach. By the end of the fifteen minutes, we were staring at each other as hungrily as a lion would stare at its prey.

"Do you want to see the waterfall?" Sky whispered in my ear.

I looked around us and saw that everyone was still playing in the pools, lying out in the sun, or walking towards the beach. Only Ali gave us a brief look, but then she looked away. I could have sworn she winked at me.

"Yes," I answered, almost desperately.

"Come on."

He grabbed my hand, firmly but gently. Very quickly, we walked away from the playful atmosphere. The water was now completely evaporated from each of our outfits, and our hair was damp free. I checked to make sure my eye makeup wasn't smudged.

It was a treacherous hike, especially for how eager we were to get by it. The waterfall was very close by, but entirely blocked by large, sharp boulders. I groaned at the sight of it, me being such a klutz and all. Sky would get impatient with me whenever I would take too long on one rock.

"What are you doing?" he would curse at me, five feet ahead.

"I don't want to get pebbles in my sandals!" I complained. "These cost me a lot!"

Sky looked where the Lost Boys were still playing. "By the time we get to the waterfall, everyone will be back at the hideout getting ready to eat dinner."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I think you're being a bit dramatic, Sky."

"I think you're taking _way _too long, Corie. Now hurry up."

I sighed and hoisted myself over the boulder. "Well, maybe if _someone_ would be kind enough to help their girlfriend over these fricken canyons, then maybe we'd be there already."

"Well, maybe this certain girlfriend should learn to stop being a klutz." He sighed angrily.

I cursed at him under my breath.

"What did you say?" he asked, sitting on top of the last boulder before the waterfall.

"Nothing," I said innocently.

The last of the hike passed by in a huffy, furious silence. By the time I got over the last boulder, Sky was already in the cave behind the waterfall, standing there with his arms crossed.

I walked by him, stomping my feet against the cool ground. "It's beautiful. I'm glad we came all this way."

I heard him follow behind me. "Is that supposed to be sarcasm?"

"What do you think it is?"

He made a noise that almost sounded like a growl. "You know, Corie? I didn't have to bring you here. I thought that you would like it. But I guess I was wrong, wasn't I?"

I felt a slight twinge of guilt at that, but I didn't forget how big a jerk he had been to me. "Yep. You were wrong."

His arm caught my shoulder and he swung me around.

"What are you doing?" I yelled. "Get off of me!" I pushed his arms off.

He stared down at me, completely irritated. "I knew fighting with you would be completely pointless, but I didn't know you were _this _stubborn."

I turned back around, walking deeper into the cave. "Well, get used to it, buddy." My voice echoed against the cave walls. "There are plenty more years to come full of fights like this. That is," I scoffed, "if you even _choose_ to see what the real world is like."

"You little…"

He swung me around again, and I flung my hand across his face. It was a pitiful slap, but I was satisfied at the echo it made against the cave walls. I smirked at him and spun around to escape from him.

Sky's hands ensnared around my waist, and he buried his head into the hollow of my neck. "What are you doing?" I gasped. He didn't talk and turned me to him to kiss every part of my collarbone. "Let go," I said breathlessly. I tried to stay angry, I tried to remember why I hated him so much right at that moment. He pulled me to him, tugging on my shirt with extreme force. I felt his mouth on my neck, and I couldn't speak anymore. I tried to push, but my hands repelled from his chest. They started to secure themselves around his neck. I sighed as his hair brushed against the sensitive skin of my throat.

"There's my girl," he whispered.

I succumbed to him right at that moment and fell into his arms. He easily scooped me up and continued to kiss every inch of skin he could reach. I gladly let him carry me deeper into the darkness. The crashing of the water against the rocks matched our heavy breathing, but we paid no attention to it. All we felt, all we saw, all we tasted was each other.

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"We should fight more often."

I let out a booming laugh as I stepped into my pajama pants. The echo of my cry rang against the vast walls of the cave and seemed to bounce off the flow of the nearby waterfall.

Sky slipped on his shirt, laughing along with me from his last comment. I stopped laughing immediately as I glimpsed the last bit of his skin. He saw me looking and gave me a sly look. "Corie Porter…" he said in an authoritative tone.

"What?" I asked as I pulled my pants up all the way.

He stepped towards me, ruffling up his hair. No matter what he was doing with his appearance, the sight of Sky always made my heart rate accelerate. It was a complete adrenaline rush just to see him coming towards me.

Amused, he stared down at me, completely at peace with the way I was looking up at him. "I almost thought we weren't going to do it this time," he laughed.

I wanted to smile too, but I remembered how mad he had made me before. "That's because you were being a jerk."

"_I _was being a jerk?" he asked, pointing to himself.

"Yes!" He scoffed. "Don't you make that noise at me," I threatened. "You were really mean; you called me a klutz and basically called me useless."

I could tell he didn't want to get too serious again. He smirked at me. "I didn't call you useless."

"Basically I said."

He rolled his eyes. "That's not the same thing, Corie."

I sighed. "Well, whatever. You didn't help me with the rocks, and you left me to struggle." I pouted like a five-year-old.

"Awwwww," he said mockingly. He slinked his arms across my waist, pulling me against him. I did all I could to keep my knees straight. We stared at each other, his eyes sparkling. "Is my wee little baby always going to be this helpless?"

I giggled. "Yes." I leaned towards his face. "You're going to have to get used to it; I'm even worse back at home."

At that, Sky's eyes went dead for a mere second. It didn't last long, because the sparkle came back when he kissed me. But I had seen it, and I had felt it. The gaze left me breathless, but he took it as me feeling lightheaded from his lips.

"You're my silly girl," he breathed against my hair.

I didn't have anything to say.

He pulled away from me to smile down at my face. I mustered up a goofy grin and reflected it right back at him. His eyes were extremely gentle as he held me. "What's your favorite thing about your life?"

"You," I automatically responded.

He rolled his eyes and laughed. "I mean _before_ you met me. Before you even came to Neverland."

I knew there was reasoning behind his question. "Why?" I asked wryly.

I saw the defeat in his eyes. "I just…want to know some reasons why I should look forward to this _wonderful_ world you have planned for me."

I giggled. "You sound so enthusiastic."

He smirked. "Just tell me."

I bit my lip in thought and looked away from him. There were so many things in my life that I loved. I couldn't just pick one to describe to him. "I don't know," I admitted, grinning up at him. "I can't think of one."

He laughed. "Then name all of them."

I sighed. "Well, I love my friends, my family, my choir, singing, laughing, crying, rain, clouds, flowers, trees, reading, movies—."

"Anything else?" Sky interrupted me with a smile.

I hit his arm. "See?! There's so _much _out there for you! There are a thousand things to do, a thousand things to see, a thousand things to love…"

Sky smiled, but I could see the worry in his eyes. "There are friends here," he pointed out. "There's family, there's singing, laughing, crying, rain, clouds, flowers, trees, reading…"

"But it's different," I said quietly.

"How?" he asked pressing his forehead against mine.

I looked up at him though his scraggly locks of blonde hair. He wanted reasons why the real world was so much better than Neverland, but I felt defeated. Neverland was a heaven; it was a place one would go to in their dreams. Sometimes I wondered myself if I was merely having a dream and had made this place up in my mind.

"Can you just trust me that it's worth it?" I asked desperately.

"No."

I glared at him, and he smiled.

We parted, but he still held onto me. "Okay, this is an easy question. What is your favorite thing in nature?"

"'In nature?'"

"Yep. In nature."

It was an easy question, because I had been asked this so many times back at home. "I love how the tops of trees move in the wind."

His eyes widened a bit. "I wasn't expecting an answer that specific."

I frowned. "What were you expecting?"

"Well, usually when you ask that question, the person usually says, 'I like the ocean; I like flowers; I like mountains.'"

I laughed and slipped my hand into his. They now rested together against my hip. "I guess you could say I'm a complicated girl," I whispered.

"You are," he said seriously. His eyes were smoldering. "That's what I love about you."

We stared at each other for a minute, but then Sky looked at the mouth of the cave. His eyes were alight with excitement.

"Sky," I said, tugging on his hand. He ignored me. "Sky," I persisted.

He finally looked my way. "Come on," he encouraged.

"Where are we going?" I asked as he led me towards the front of the cave.

"I have to show you something."

I laughed. "I wonder when you're going to run out of things to show me."

"Never," he said over his shoulder. "Now, hurry up!"

"Hey! You better not be mean to me again for going so slow. I thought we already talked about this."

His shoulders lightly shook with laughter. "We didn't really talk. Instead, we kind of _apologized_ with our actions."

I felt my cheeks grow red. "You made me."

He turned around, his mouth gaped open. "You little…"

I tugged my hand out of his. "Don't hurt me!"

He ran towards me, but instead of tickling me or doing what he had done before, he scooped me up into his arms and kissed me warmly on the lips.

"What's this for?" I questioned.

"For your clumsiness."

He soared out of the mouth of the cave then, me lying in his arms.

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We had flown over most of the entire island just beneath the canopy of the trees. I had noticed that all the Lost Boys had left the natural pools, and I wondered if they had known what Sky and I had been doing. I really hoped not.

Finally, once we had been flying for fifteen minutes, Sky suddenly flew up into the leaves of the trees, and we broke out of the dark forest and above the whole rest of the island.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed, grabbing onto his shoulders.

He laughed. "Surprised?"

"I guess you could say that."

It was beautiful. The sun was very low in the sky, but not just ready to set. It illuminated brightly against the outlines of the faint, white clouds that plastered the sapphire, blue sky. Every now and then, a flock of birds would soar across the scene, calling to their present companions.

"You're unbelievable," Sky breathed.

I turned to the left and saw that his face was inches from mine, staring at my profile. I giggled. "How can you say that when we're looking at _this_ scene?" I asked, pointing at the distant sun.

"It's easy. You're a million times more breathtaking than that."

I felt my cheeks grow hot, and I looked down at Sky's levitating feet. "So are you," I whispered.

He tightened his grip on me, and it felt like I could fly to the sun.

"I brought you up here for a reason," he finally said.

I looked up in interest. "Did you?"

He nodded, grinning eagerly. "It's a perfect day for it too."

My brows furrowed. "What is it?" I asked curiously.

"Remember your favorite thing in nature?"

"Yes…"

Sky pointed down at the trees below us, and I followed his finger.

I hadn't even realized it, but it was a very windy day. Sky had held me so tight that day that I had felt warm in his embrace constantly. But now that I looked down at the woods, I could suddenly feel the chill of the wind. The trees were swaying back and forth, very slowly, but largely and effectively. The wind rattled through the leaves and shook against the branches and twigs. The steady rhythm of the trees' sways matched our quiet breathing. There was no way to describe how peaceful it was. It was silent, yet the wind howled loudly against our eardrums. It was loud, yet we could only hear our hearts beating.

I turned to Sky, tears slowly coming to my eyes. "I want this forever." I only said it in a whisper, because I feared I would be too loud at that moment.

He grabbed my chin firmly and leaned towards my face. "You have it."

I reached my hand up and slowly traced my finger down his smooth cheek. He shivered against my touch. "I love you," I admitted.

I couldn't get over how perfect he was: the smooth touch of his skin, the way his hair blew across his face, the way his chocolate eyes brightened at the smallest things, the way his lips moved when he spoke.

He took both of his hands and pushed my hair away from my face to stare at me. I felt self-conscious when he did that. I gently pulled away.

"No," he said, pulling me tight against him.

"What are you doing?" I asked demurely. "Memorizing me?"

"No." He put his left hand against his chest. "I already have you memorized."

"Then what are you doing?"

He grabbed my hand and put it where his left hand had just been. For a second, I couldn't realize what he was doing, but then I felt a heavy thudding against my palm. I looked up at his face, my eyes wide. His heart was pulsing like a racehorse and jumping against his diaphragm.

"I'm letting you know what effect you have on me."

We gazed at each other for a full minute, feeling the never ceasing beat of his heart. I grabbed his hand and put it against my chest. We could both feel the fast racing of _my_ heart. "Every time I see you," I told him.

His hand slid from my chest, up to my collarbone, and then rested on my neck. It didn't seem possible, but my heart sped up when his fingers lightly grazed my skin.

"You're my everything," he said.

And it was true for both of us.

I nodded, and his arms slowly wound their way across my whole frame. I curled my head into the hollow of his throat and lightly kissed his neck. His hands froze on my back.

I don't really know how long we floated there together; it may have been minutes, it may have been close to an hour. The only hint we had is that when we parted and finally flew back down into the woods of Neverland, the night stars had come out to join us.

As we flew hand-in-hand, I couldn't take my eyes off Sky. I realized that what we had wasn't an average love. I tried to imagine getting sick of Sky, ever wanting to be away from him, but I knew it couldn't be possible. I thought of my parents and how they truly did love each other, but didn't look at each other the way Sky and I looked at each other. They didn't touch, they didn't kiss, they didn't love each other the way Sky and I touched, kissed, and loved each other. It wasn't a normal love; it was beyond average. We were two halves that were once separated, but now we were back together. Sometimes, when I thought of how dependent I was on Sky, it scared me; but then I would just have to think of his smile or the way he looked at me, and everything was okay. I loved Sky, and he loved me. That's all we needed to be happy.


	21. Waking to the Final Day

Waking to the Final Day

Waking to the Final Day

Once Sky and I had made it back to the hideout, the Lost Boys were already outside, saying their goodbyes to Ali. We landed softly onto the grass, our hands intertwined.

"There you are!"

A small group of the boys ran forward, clinging onto my arms. They pulled me towards the bigger group, which was still hanging onto Ali. I looked over my shoulder with a face full of mock horror. Sky laughed, his eyes twinkling.

"Ali and you were gone the _entire_ time!" Tootles cried at me.

I looked over his short head to give Ali an observant glance. When she heard the words, her face turned red, and she looked away from me. My eyes narrowed.

_"What is she keeping from me?"_

When I saw that Ali wouldn't look my way again, I patted Tootles on the head. "I promise that we will be spending a lot of time together tomorrow, Tootles. I swear."

He smiled his toothy grin at me. "Really?"

"Of course."

At that, the Lost Boys gathered around me. "We have a surprise for you and Ali tomorrow." Their hands were fidgeting and playing with the ends of their shirts. I stared down at their glowing faces.

"A surprise?" I asked.

They all nodded, giving significant looks to each other.

Ali came up next to me. "Corie and I don't like surprises."

Curly groaned, and the boys joined in. "That's not true," Curly said. "_This_ was all a surprise, and _you _two liked it."

"What do you mean 'this'?" I asked.

"Neverland of course!"

He was right. There was no denying that all of Neverland was the greatest surprise of our life. It completed every dream I had ever seen or imagined in my head. When I was surrounded by the people that made up Neverland, I was never happier. The Lost Boys were like my younger brothers. I loved them almost as much as I loved Sky. No…I loved them as much as I loved Sky, but in a totally different way. Sky was more of a need, whereas these boys were the vital part of my happiness.

Ali and I looked at each other, and we could see in the other's eyes that we were thinking the exact same thing: how in hell were we supposed to leave here?

The thought of it almost seemed impossible. The idea of flying up into the air for the last time, seeing the final glimpse of Neverland's horizon, and seeing the tear-stained faces of the Lost Boys made my heart do back flips.

And then there was Sky. This thought didn't completely destroy my spirit, because it wasn't a sure thing yet if I was never going to see him again. He still hadn't given me an answer, and I wasn't going to press him for one. I almost liked that he was going to tell me last minute. That way, it wouldn't hurt as much if his final decision was to stay in Neverland. After tonight, however, it seemed as if he had chosen to come with me. In my heart, I felt that he wanted to be with me for the rest of my life. After I had said, "I want this forever," hadn't he grabbed my face and said, "You have it." I didn't know if that was his true answer, but I prayed to God that it was.

If he didn't choose me, I couldn't even think of the pain that would be inflicted upon me. Two days ago had been enough pain for me. It had started in my heart but had managed to find a way to carve through my heart all the way down to my toes. It scared me that it was actual physical pain being away from Sky. How was I supposed to survive that?

I realized that I had been standing there in silence for a couple seconds. When I came out of my reverie, the Lost Boys were looking at me with sympathetic eyes. It was clear they knew what I was thinking about. They knew I wasn't ready to leave here. Automatically, there arms extended towards me, almost like we were magnets.

Ali and I accepted their arms at once. They grabbed onto our torsos, our legs, anything they could touch. Even the ones in the back managed to hold onto our shoulders or grab some article of clothing that we had on.

I buried my face against Nibbs' head. He was situated against the hollow of my neck, and I could feel his breathing against my throat. I could feel all of their rough skin against my soft, smooth skin. I liked the feeling of the scratches and scars of their adventures. It gave me a feeling of rebellion.

Their smell rose up into my nostrils. What I had expected to be a bad smell full of body odor and mud, turned out to be a smell full of nature and the fresh scent of the woods. I could smell every leaf they had brushed up against; I could smell any flower they had carried in their small hands; I could smell the salt water that was still plastered lightly onto their tan skin.

The Lost Boys loved us…very much. Their hands against our bodies felt like a plea. It was a plea full of desperation and wanting. I knew that they wanted us to stay forever; it was that simple for them. But if only they knew how hard it was for Ali and me. I wanted to stay, just as badly as they wanted us to, but I _needed_ my friends back home. I _needed_ my two sisters, my father, and my mother. They were my everything, and I couldn't just walk away from that life to come to this one. I would always wonder, always imagine what it would have been like when I went missing. How Dr. Brady would probably be fired, how Elaine and Lisa would have to lie for the rest of their lives, how Sarah and Pamela would know the truth, but never truly understand it, and how my family would cry for months. It was a scene that hurt to imagine.

A hand gently touched my shoulder. "We should go," Peter whispered.

We were all silent, so the request was easy to hear. I reluctantly let go of the boys and took my head off of Nibbs'. He gave me a watery smile. It made my heart clench when I saw tears in all of their eyes.

"What are you crying about?" I asked in a choked voice. "We have tomorrow. Don't forget that."

They gave weak laughs, wiping their eyes against their sleeves.

"Yeah," Ali agreed. "Save the tears for tomorrow. That's what _I'm _doing."

"Me too," I said quickly.

We all shared another laugh, sniffles still coming from the boys.

The hand touched my shoulder again, and I turned around to see that it was Sky rather than Peter touching me.

When he saw my strained face, he gave out a laugh. "You are _such _a crybaby," he said.

I glared at him. "No I'm not! I'm not even crying."

"Just about."

I shook my head and looked down at my feet.

Without a pause, Sky's hand pulled my chin up. I loved when he did that. It was his way of gently forcing me to look up at him.

When our eyes met, I saw that all trace of humor had left his face. His eyes were gentle, the edges curved with sympathy. He was biting on his bottom lip, his jaw moving back and forth in distraction. I stared at him.

"Tomorrow," he finally said. The word came out as a whisper, and I heard his voice cut off suddenly. Maybe he had planned to say something after it, maybe he had not. It didn't matter. I knew exactly what he had meant.

I reached for his face, and his hand fell from my chin. I gently smoothed his temples, pushing his hair back from his face. His eyes closed, and he breathed heavily from my touch. He was so beautiful; I felt like I was touching an angel.

"I love you," I breathed.

His eyes slowly fluttered open, and I was happy to see the warm brown of his pupils. I immediately smiled.

"I love you, too."

Maybe this would be our last goodbye…maybe not. I prayed that it would be. I prayed that I would never have the sinking feeling in my heart when waving my departure to Sky; I prayed that I wouldn't have to hear Sky's voice in my head every second when I wasn't with him; I prayed that I wouldn't only see Sky whenever my eyes closed.

But at the same time…I prayed that I would.

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The morning sun touched my face, and my eyes slowly opened.

And there it was; I woke to our last full day in England.

It almost seemed like I was still dreaming; this couldn't be it. This could not possibly be our final day. The first day of the trip seemed ages ago, almost weeks. I remembered when I had said goodbye to my mother, not even aware of what was waiting for me in this new world.

And the truth was…it _was _a whole new world to me. Everything had changed the second I stepped onto England soil. I knew that the trip would bring joy, would bring memories, would bring lessons, but I had no idea that it would bring a whole new me.

I had found Sky: my missing half, my whole self, my soul mate. Every time I thought of him, a smile spread across my face like a bird spreading its wings out.

I turned my head slightly to the left and saw that Ali was still asleep, a smile on her face as well. No doubt she was thinking about the night she had had with Peter.

"You two had sex! Didn't you?!"

This had been my hushed cry the second Peter had left us at our window. Ali had turned a slight shade of red but defiantly shook her head. "God, Corie! Calm down! We didn't have sex."

"Then, what happened?"

Ali and I had sat on our bed, talking for at least an hour of the conversation the two of them had shared that night.

"We just made an agreement; that's all." Her smile was leering, almost like she wanted to keep it secret from me.

"Please tell me," I whispered urgently.

"Fine fine," she said, rolling her eyes.

She leaned towards me, looking apprehensive. "It's just an idea; that's all. It's not final yet. We've been making some decisions just because we can't imagine the thought of us being away from each other. Don't freak out. And don't think that I'm--."

"Ali!" I interrupted. "I can't think anything of you if you don't tell me what's going on."

She laughed her quiet giggle, holding her hand over her mouth. "Sorry."

With that, she got serious and leaned towards me again.

"You know well enough that Peter can't leave Neverland." I nodded sympathetically, but she kept going strong. "And there's _no_ way that I could ever leave my family, you know?" I nodded again out of habit. She took a deep breath and crossed her legs. "We've decided to end it. There's nothing else we can do." Her small features were covered in curiosity, her eyes burning right through me.

I stared at her for a second, at a complete loss for words. She had looked genuinely happy when she had been with Peter tonight. If this was the final decision on their situation, why was she not breaking down like I had been days ago?

When I didn't say anything, she sighed lightly. A small smile crossed her face, erasing the curiosity. "I know what you're thinking. 'Why so optimistic?'" She looked into my eyes, hers alight now. "It's because I _know _I'm going to see him again. We've already planned it all out. You know how I've always wanted to be a fashion designer?"

"Of course."

"Well, I've been looking at really good opportunities in London for design. I know that it's a lot of money, and it's a bit of a stretch leaving my home and all, but if I go here for school, I could see Peter as many times as I would want, you know? I have a long time to prepare too! I have two full years. It all works out! I just get the money to come live here, go to school, get a part-time job, and visit Peter and the Lost Boys at Neverland every so often."

She finished her speech eagerly, her chest lightly rising with heavy breaths. Immediately, when she saw I was not smiling in agreement, her face fell. Her hands uncrossed in her lap, and she leaned away from me."What's wrong? What are you thinking?"

I didn't want to make her feel upset. "Nothing," I said quickly. "No, that's a good idea."

She glowered at me. "Corie, don't lie. I know you too well."

I paused for a second, observing her face. But then I burst into words. "Ali, that's a really good idea. Trust me, I think that it is. But it doesn't even sound like you've really thought everything out. You're willing to cross seas for school…? That's basically like staying in Neverland anyway. You're not going to be able to go home for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or summer. Any of that! You once freaked out when I suggested you look at Colorado State with me. Oh! _And_ how are you going to explain to all of your friends? 'Yeah, I have a boyfriend, but sorry, you can't meet him, because he lives in Neverland, and that's the only place where he'll ever feel comfortable.' And once you say that you've been dating Peter for so long, people are going to be wondering why they haven't met him, why you don't live with him, and why you have no pictures with him. That's a bit shady, Ali. There are so many complications that you're going to have to go through with, and I don't want you to have to go through with them, because I just want you to be happy."

We stared at each other for a long time. Guilt welled upside me when I saw that her eyes were now clouded with doubt. She bit her lip and looked back down at her lap. I noticed that her hands were once again intertwined.

I sighed and looked away from her. Lisa and Elaine had been snoring together in harmony, so it was almost impossible to hear each other.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. She didn't say anything. "I just want you to see the situation from all points of view."

"I know," she agreed weakly. Her voice broke on the last word. "I completely understand."

"Do you?" I asked, my head turning in her direction.

When I looked at her, I could tell that she truly was listening to what I had said. All eagerness had left her eyes, and she now had a more determined ring circling her eyelids.

"Yes." She sighed and looked back down at her lap.

I still felt that awful sinking feeling in my stomach. I had made all light leave her eyes. Suddenly, the thought of her comforting me after Sky had broke my heart reached the basin of my brain. The memory brought a strange carving feeling to my chest, yet I could still feel the relief that Ali had fought with that physical pain. She had been there for me in my moment of need, no matter how ridiculous I may have sounded. She listened, comforted, and encouraged me to keep going. Now it was my turn.

My hand touched hers, and her head slowly inclined.

"Don't give up on it, Ali," I whispered gently. "Don't you ever let anyone tell you to give up on your dreams. I almost convinced myself that Sky and I could never be, but I didn't allow that to happen. I don't want you to allow that to happen either."

"But it seems impossible," she whispered back desperately. "What if it's just better to be away from him?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "You'll never know that for sure unless you try." I leaned closer to her, gazing into her dark eyes. "What if you never did try? Wouldn't you wonder for the rest of your life, 'What if I had gone back? What if I had just seen him one more time?'"

She didn't have to say anything. The look on her face was enough.

"Then try, Ali," I breathed, squeezing her small fingers. "Try."

And now, in present time, looking down at Ali's face that was full of hope, full of wonder, full of anxiety made me realize that I had so much mystery lying ahead of me. Today was the last day. Tonight was the last night that my feet would ever touch Neverland soil. The thought of it alone made tears come to my eyes. Sure, Sky might be leaving Neverland with me this night, and that was more than I had ever wanted, but I was leaving behind so much more. I was leaving behind a land that had become a home to me. After a couple weeks, maybe even days, all of it would seem like a dream. How could anyone _not_ confuse Neverland with their imagination? Is that why Sky and the Lost Boys were so afraid to leave it? Was it just so perfect that it would seem physically impossible to take off from the land? I would never know. All I knew was that Ali and I had to leave it tonight. No matter how difficult or traumatizing it would be for us, Neverland would never be a part of our lives again after this night.

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"Aw! Our last breakfast in England!" Lisa moaned, biting into her English muffin.

I snorted into my cereal. "Lisa…we're eating breakfast at the hotel tomorrow."

"Oh yeah…"

My friends and I burst into laughter and quickly got quiet. I could hear the strain in all of their laughter, hear how their voices cut off immediately. Lisa had been wrong about the last breakfast, but today would be our last lunch and dinner.

Ali nudged my arm sympathetically. I hadn't realized that my face had taken on the shape of a frown. I straightened my back and relaxed my mouth. I wasn't going to let our last day be a sob fest; that was for tomorrow.

"Today's going to be really fun though," our friend Anne finally piped up. All eyes went to her spot at the table. "I mean…we're going to a musical, getting lunch, going to our last concert, and then going to our dinner. It should be pretty spectacular."

We all nodded in agreement. It was true, too. This last day was going to be the most phenomenal. Dr. Brady had promised to take us to a true, English musical. This morning, we were off to see _Billy Elliot the Musical._ It was one I had always wanted to see, and I was absolutely ecstatic.

However, I was not too excited about the concert. I was doing my solo this afternoon, and I was beyond nervous. Practicing it in the shower had not made me any more comfortable than I had been days ago. I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out.

Suddenly, on my right, someone bumped my elbow with a small sheet of paper. I looked down and saw that Elaine had folded a little note for me to read. I could see the writing through the thin paper. I looked up at her and she winked.

Looking around, I saw that nobody had taken notice. I quickly unfolded the note and gazed down at the writing. _"Anything special for tonight in Neverland?"_

I smiled, grabbed the same pen that she had used to write with and wrote a short message back: _"I never know what the Lost Boys have planned… We'll just have to wait and see."_

She got the letter back and read my message. Elaine wrote another back, this one a bit longer. _"Are you ready? I mean, for tomorrow? Have you emotionally/physically prepared yourself? I can't even imagine how hard it's going to be. I don't mean to rub it in, but how are you going to manage in front of everyone…? And if Sky chooses to come with you, what are your parents going to think when a boy flies through the window of your bedroom one night?"_

I bit my lip in consternation, totally at a loss for words. I pressed my pen to the paper and managed to get out _"…"_

Elaine wrote back _"That's what I figured you would say."_

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"Amazing!"

"The best musical I have ever seen!"

My friends and I walked out of the theater, not knowing what else to say. _Billy Elliot_ had been everything and more for me. Tears had streamed down my face for most of the performance, and chills had continuously grazed my arms as I watched the magnificent singers and dancers.

"That was so good," I said in a hoarse voice.

Everyone started to laugh when they saw the look on my face. "Don't ruin your makeup, Corie," Ali warned. "Your solo is in fifteen minutes."

My heart stopped.

Lisa must have seen my fists clench, because she came over and slipped her hand into mine. "You have nothing to worry about," she whispered. "You're going to do wonderfully."

"Yeah, we'll see."

The bus ride was much too short. We made it to the Stratford-upon-Avon church in a matter of three minutes. I had been counting down the seconds, my teeth clenched together. To keep myself preoccupied, I laughed with my friends, listened to my iPod, and thought of Sky smiling down at me. My heart melted.

Dr. Brady hoarded the group together outside the front entrance of the church. "Class!" he hissed. "Listen up!" Everyone got quiet immediately. The hush from inside the building gave off an intimidating feeling. Once Dr. Brady saw all of our eyes in his direction, he began to give us orders in hushed tones. "I want all of you to know that this church is much too respectable to be the loud teenagers that you are." A small laugh rippled through the group. He smiled, but went on. "William Shakespeare is buried here, and it's _very _important that you respect that. It's a big deal!" he said, his eyes getting wide.

Ali grabbed my arm. "Dude, Willy Shakes is buried here!"

I covered my mouth to stifle my giggles.

Once Dr. Brady made sure it was okay to come inside, our large group of choir kids walked through the entrance that lay in front of us.

The church was beautiful; small, but absolutely exquisite. It was furnished for a royal family, it seemed. The dim lights cast eerie shadows against the sharp angles of the architecture. I was immediately reminded of _Beauty and the Beast_, and I could envision the moment when Belle walks down the stairs to her waiting Romeo. We passed a small souvenir shop, displaying items saying, "I saw William Shakespeare's grave!" and much more where that came from. I saw Lisa stare greedily at the family armor display, knowing full well that her surname lay somewhere in the pile. I shared a quiet laugh with Ali at that.

After we passed through that hallway, double doors as large as what I would imagine heaven's gate to be, lay ahead of us. They were open, displaying the main hall where the church services took place. At once, I looked at the number of heads. I only saw around ten or so, and I let out a sigh of relief. I had nothing to worry about. My solo would mean nothing to this number of people. I was off the hook.

As we walked into the room, the heads turned our direction, most of them snowy white with crinkles at the edges of their eyes. We smiled back, proving just how wonderful our choir truly was. Our audience included two teen boys, but they looked like they had been forced to spend the day with their grandparents. I saw that Elaine and Lisa smiled warmly at them, and they immediately looked more interested in the concert.

"Get in order," Dr. Brady hissed. "Make sure that you're in the right positions for all the songs."

We made it to our destination. It was before all the pews, and it was the most crowded space we had ever had to sing in. Our shoulders were all rubbing against each other, and we could feel the humidity of outside against our bodies. My hair was beginning to create gentle waves of its own accord.

Once we were all situated, Dr. Brady turned to the audience. I stared at the back of his head, truly appreciating what he was saying. This would be the last time I would ever hear him introduce us to an English crowd.

"Welcome, everybody! We call ourselves the Lincoln Ways Choir. The town we come from is fairly large, very pleasant, and well situated. Our school has always been praised for our choir. I had the pleasure of taking about seventy or so kids with me on this trip, got about sixty or so, and we are having the greatest time of our lives here. Right, kids?" He looked over his shoulder with a smile.

We all cheered in agreement, and the audience gave out a snicker

Dr. Brady turned back around. "Unfortunately, today is our last day in England. Tomorrow, we leave for London to take a plane back to America." A few sympathetic noises came from the audience. "Yes, it's very sad," Dr. Brady agreed. "I don't think I'm the only one who feels like they're leaving a lot behind when we get on that plane tomorrow."

If only he knew.

Elaine and Ali both squeezed my arms on either side of me. Tears welled up in my eyes.

"Well, anyway, we're here to sing for you. I hope that you enjoy! There are a few soloists in the first song. Their names are:…" He went on to say the three names that were included in the song. My name was first, and I let my hand wave weakly in the air. My throat was beginning to clench up.

"Corie, you're going to be great," Ali whispered in my right ear.

I nodded to reassure her _and _myself.

"The title of our first song," Dr. Brady announced, "is _City of Heaven_."

He turned back around, with a huge beam on his face.

The look he gave us was significant in every way. This was our last concert here, and he wanted to make it memorable. What opportunity like this would we ever have again? We could all read that in his eyes. He nodded at all of the soloists, his eyes wide as he smiled encouragingly at me. I nodded as well, still feeling that clogged up feeling in my throat.

Dr. Brady raised his arms, looked at our accompanist, and nodded.

As he did so, the large double doors of the church entrance slowly creaked open. The echoing sound bounded off the rafters of the steep ceiling. Every head turned in direction of the noise.

"Well, it looks like we have a few more listeners."

Elaine, Lisa, and Ali gasped at the same time, but I didn't have the air to even breathe.

Right as the doors fully opened, all Lost Boys walked into the church, smiles on their faces, including Ali's Peter and my Sky.

_I'm SO sorry, you guys! That took so, incredibly long. I have been hammered with school work lately, so that's why it's been so difficult to update. I promise that it won't take as long next time to update. There's only a few chapters left…____ I can't believe it!_


	22. Nicely Situated

_All right, you guys…as I have been saying in my other stories, I have no excuses for taking so long on updating. I just want you to know that I'm SO sorry! I promise that the next chapter won't take as long to update._

Nicely Situated

Ali's hand grabbed onto my wrist, her small fingers making a tight hold that normally would have made me cringe in pain. I did not have the ability to look her way, however. My eyes were locked onto the group that had just entered the church.

Dr. Brady was saying a few more words, but it sounded like a bunch of gibberish to me. Everything surrounding me sounded like there was a mute button on it. I couldn't hear the whispers of my fellow colleagues or the sound of the accompanist shuffling through his music. I couldn't feel the presence of people around me, or the heat of the day outside. The only thing I truly felt was Ali's viselike grip on my arm.

Sky was looking straight at me, standing in the middle of the group. My heart clenched at how perfect he looked. He was smiling his sideways grin which always had a way of making me feel weak. His shaggy, light hair was looking as unbearable as always. I figured that they must have been sleeping before coming here. I didn't understand how time in Neverland must have worked for them to come here during the day. Sky was wearing what looked like a new shirt, but I didn't understand how that could be possible. It was a blue striped polo and it fitted him snugly, showing the contours of his chest through the fabric. He had his sleeves rolled up and had shoved his hands into the pockets of his torn capris. His eyes were alight with contentment and smugness. I obviously had a look of pure shock on my face and that was causing him a lot of amusement.

Finally, Dr. Brady's words started to get back to me, and I began to understand what he was saying.

"I didn't expect a group this large to come in. Well, this is great!" he said enthusiastically. The audience gave a short laugh. "Just come on up towards the front. There are a lot of open pews up here."

I felt my heart drop. To the front? I looked back at Sky and saw that he was smirking now. If I had the ability to glare at him, I would have, but I still felt the effects of shock taking over me.

The older part of the audience looked at the Lost Boys with a sort of indignation. And I couldn't really blame them. They were all dressed like they normally were, except with a bit more clothing. But they still looked exceedingly dirty and rumpled up. Their faces needed a serious scrubbing and their hands were caked with Never dirt.

They took up the whole first pew. Peter, of course, was the first to slide in, making his way to the far left of the aisle. The rest of the boys filed in after him, like they would when following him through the forest. The last was Sky. I still had not taken my eyes off of him. I wanted to see his reaction; I wanted to know what he was doing here.

This was the first time, in all of his life, that he had entered the real world. Sure, he had been born here, but this was the first, actual time that he was surrounded by people he had never seen before, buildings and architecture he had probably never imagined. My hands were shaking very violently as I continued to stare at him. I realized that he had no look of humor left on his face. His eyes were locked on mine, deep with endless emotions and feelings that I couldn't even begin to name out loud. The look on his face was almost emotionless, yet I could see that the heavyset of his eyes and the determined line that was his mouth meant something significant. All he saw was me, and all I saw was him. It seemed that the universe had shifted. Sky was in my world. The world I begged him to see. The world that he had never been more afraid of.

It was then that I realized what this meant: Sky was choosing to come home with me.

The realization of this felt like being hit by a London trolley. Without warning, the tears rolled over my eyelids and began to fall down my face. I quickly wiped them away, not wanting to attract any attention, yet I refused to keep my eyes away from him.

At first, he looked reluctant to smile, but then the corners of his lips twitched up into an apologetic grin. And then, the smile spread up to his cheeks, thinned across his forehead, made it all the way up to his head. He was beautiful, beautifully happy to see me here. And I was…well…_whole_ to see him here.

Sky wanted to be with me, forever. Well, at least until death do us part. My heart was thumping against my chest like it had never done before. I had to put my hand to my chest to calm it down. My breath came out ragged and I still had to put my fingers to my eyes every so often to stop the tears from making dark paths down my cheeks.

The both of us, together forever. Living in a house together, getting married, having kids of our own, growing old. It almost seemed comical to imagine it. And to think that married couples could ever grow tired of each other? But who was I kidding? Sky and I weren't like any other couples in the world. We had something other people didn't: the rarest of true love. He was a part of me and I was a part of him. We were supposed to be together; that was just the way God intended it to be. I was born to grow old with Sky.

It was only until the music started that I took my eyes of Sky and looked to Dr. Brady, wide-eyed. I had missed his entire introduction to the song. He was now looking to me, raising his arms, preparing for the cue to the beginning of the solo.

For a second, I felt nervous, unprepared, and weak. But then, I again realized that I wasn't nervous at all. How could I be nervous when I knew that Sky was sitting across the aisle? How could I be nervous when I knew that Sky was waiting to spend the rest of his life with me? I had absolutely nothing to be nervous about.

Before I opened my mouth to sing, I looked quickly at Sky out with a sly smile on my face. He grinned back, ecstatic, and I gave him a wink.

_"I have all I want."_

And then it began.

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The whole concert went by in a blur. Yes, I sang along, and yes, my mind was focused on the music, but I could not help staring at Sky the entire time. He looked so strange, impossible to adapt in this environment. He would look back at me with the same affection and wanting that I gave him, but every so often, I noticed he would look across the aisle to the older people sitting in the pews. His eyes would slightly narrow and he would look at them with an almost seniority glance. I felt my heart clench every time I saw this look cross his features. But then the second his eyes would come back to me, it was like my own personal heaven awaiting me. Looking at his face and knowing that I would see his shaggy blonde hair and soft, dark eyes gazing at me every day I would wake up made my face light up in an unending smile. As if he could read my mind, my emotions would mirror in his eyes.

Everyone clapped throughout the whole last half of our final song. The Lost Boys were having a blast: they were clapping off the beat, hitting each other on the head, banging their fists on the wood of the pews. Ali and I could barely sing the final notes; we were laughing so hard. Throughout the entire ending, Sky continued to stare at me, those same emotions glossing the film of his eyes.

And finally the concert was over. Dr. Brady turned toward us, gave us a smile, and then turned back to the audience for a final bow. Everyone stood from their benches to give us a standing ovation. It was the best concert yet. We had never had a reaction like this before. The Lost Boys stood on the benches, hooting and hollering at the top of their lungs. Sky pulled on Slightly's elbow to shove him down. I laughed a booming cry but it wasn't heard over the clapping and cheering for us.

Once it started to die down, everyone started to file out of the aisles and head towards the exit. The Lost Boys stayed where they were, all of their eyes situated on Ali and me.

I started jittering where I was standing. My hands were shaking and I was tapping my foot impatiently. I watched in agony as Dr. Brady took his time in taking off his robe before speaking to us. Ali was brushing her hair over and over and smoothing out the dress she was wearing.

Elaine pushed against my restless arm. "Stop that," she hissed.

"Sorry."

Dr. Brady turned back to us with an ecstatic smile. "That was fantastic!" he cried out.

We all agreed with a long cheer. The boys held up their fists boisterously from behind Dr. Brady. Some of the choir kids laughed.

"Don't bring too much attention to yourselves or anything," I muttered to Ali.

She nodded, her eyes wide.

"As you _all_ well know, it is our last night in England."

My eyes met Sky's at the same moment he looked for me. Unsaid words flew across the room and I felt my heart clench desperately against my chest. A chorus of "awwwwww's" wailed up from the girls in the choir. If only they knew.

"I know, I know. It's a sad thing. We all had a wonderful time, didn't we?"

I saw Lisa look at me from the corner of my eye.

"But tonight we have our final dinner. It's a big deal, so dress up, girls, do your makeup, your hair--." We all laughed. "… put on your high heels, fellas, wear your suits, ties. You all know the drill! Just look nice!"

We all laughed at the pointless discussion Dr. Brady was trying to bring up. He was a good-looking man, but the only time I saw him wear a suit was at our concerts back in the U.S.

We waved away our laughter, a grim smile on his face. "Haha…very funny. Now, all of you can go out for an hour or so, then we're gonna come back here to take the bus to the hotel, you'll have an hour to get ready, and then we'll head to the restaurant. How does that sound?"

"Good!" we all yelled in unison.

"All right! Get out of here!"

We all broke apart at once. I didn't even need a second to start running towards the front pews.

He slid out of the row with grace, with a quiet simplicity. My shoes clattered against the stone tiles of the church as I sprinted towards Sky. He was waiting for me, as he had been the entire concert. His arms were waiting to be wrapped around me. I could tell from the slight angle of his elbows; they were curved in such a way that I could perfectly situate myself into them. He was already attuned to the way I fit with him. And I knew right then that I was exactly the same way. My own hands were already in the position that would be necessary in wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing myself against him. My head slightly leaned to the right so I could bury my face against the hollow of his neck. As I got closer and closer, I saw that the smile on his face got wider and wider. I felt a sob escape from me.

Sky was with me. In the real world. Sky. The boy who had promised, sworn to himself that he would never set foot in this world again. My heart ached for him because I knew deep down it was really hurting him to be here. I could see it in every feature of his face. His chocolate eyes were turned down at the corners, their sparkle not as bright as they would be if he was in Neverland. His defined jaw was clenched, his teeth pressed together. I could almost feel the tension from where I was standing in the concert. His stance was not as casual as it normally was. It seemed posed, rehearsed. Like he had physically prepared himself for this world of mine.

But that didn't matter to me.

The only thing that mattered was that he was here, his arms open, his lips turned up into a smile.

I hit him with such a strong force; I was surprised he didn't fall over.

The wind both escaped our mouths at the same time and I gasped right into his face. It happened so quickly, I couldn't even remember when he had hoisted me up into his arms. My legs were curled around his waist and my arms, well situated, were curled against the skin of his neck. His arms were tightly wound around my mid section. At his touch, I felt tingles graze the sensitive skins of my arms.

His laugh, more beautiful that I remembered, made a chiming sound as it echoed throughout the church. The tilt of his head when he threw it back, the way his teeth seemed to flash brightly in any type of light, and the twinkling gleam in his eyes whenever I made him laugh caused a smile of my own to touch my lips.

"What?" I breathed, my words hitting his cheeks.

Sky straightened up, tightening his hold on me. "I can't believe how ridiculous you are." Every word was saturated with his tone of longing. Why did it seem so long since we had been together?

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

He shook his head, the smile still on his face. "You cry at everything."

And, shockingly, he took his left hand off my waist, reached up to my cheek, and wiped a bit of moisture off to lay flat on his finger. He put it before my eyes so I could see. I stared curiously at it.

"You look surprised."

I nodded, still staring at the tear.

"Why's that?" he asked bemusedly.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I didn't think I would cry at this."

He smirked at me. "You cry at everything, Corie."

Even a smirk made my heart thump wildly against my chest.

"Will you put your hand on me again?" I asked impatiently. To show him just how desperate I was, I pressed myself harder against him.

In a flash, he wiped the tear against his jeans, and both of his hands were wrapped around me once more.

For a second, we didn't say anything. He just stared at me, and I stared right back. I noticed that people were passing by, looking curiously at us, but I ignored them. Most of the choir kids had taken the back exit, so they weren't people I knew. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Ali and Peter were having a very similar hello. The Lost Boys were still sitting in the pews, waiting anxiously for their next orders.

My right hand slowly slid up the back of his neck and into his hair. I ran my fingers lightly through each strand of messy, blonde hair. I curled them tenderly around my fingers, allowing the warmth of him to satisfy my shaking hands. I was pleased to see that this was one of his weaknesses. His eyes closed and he opened his mouth to exhale. His breath came out tattered and torn. I smiled in triumph.

"Corie," he whispered to himself.

I saw it coming, but it still disappointed me when Sky slowly unwound me from his waist. He guided me off of him and set me gently on the ground in front of him. I was happy when I could still feel his hands on the small of my back. My head was now inclined to look up at his tall face. I smiled warmly up at him.

Once more, his hand came to my cheek, and he wiped off more tears. He shook his head, looking amused. "I had a feeling you would react like this," he said quietly.

"Did you?"

He nodded.

I giggled. "You know me too well."

"_Far _too well," he corrected me.

He kept his hand on my cheek, even though all the moisture was gone.

"How?" I suddenly asked. The smile slowly faded off his face, yet he didn't look upset. Determined was the word that came to mind. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable right now, but thousands of questions were zooming around in my head. I had to know. I had to get some answers. "How did you manage to do this, Sky? All your life you've talked about never coming here, always staying in Neverland, and now, you suddenly manage to come unexpected to my concert…? I just don't understand it. Did you prepare yourself? Did you and the Lost Boys plan this beforehand?"

"No…no, we didn't do that."

I waited for him to answer, yet his mouth stayed shut.

"Then, what?"

Sky's hands went from my waist to my arms. He slowly rubbed them in an up and down motion. I realized then that I was freezing. His warm hands were almost painful against the cold of my skin. He continued to rub them, staring over my shoulder, looking very distant. I didn't have too much time.

"Sky?" I persisted.

He looked at me unwillingly, his mouth still in a hard straight line. His hands were moving less and less against my arms. The conversation at hand was distracting him. I leaned closer to him, not allowing any dissipation right now.

"Please," I whispered.

Many emotions came across his face at once. I could see that he was uncomfortable, not by my close proximity, but still by the fact that he was in this world with me. The older people were now pressing closer to us, the church goers all leaving the same exit. The muscle in his temple tensed and I heard the slight _click _of his teeth when they clenched together.

I thought I was going to have to persuade him some more but he let out a quiet, defeated sigh. He looked down at his feet, his hands now at a standstill on my arms. "Corie, I came here to get used to this world."

"'Used to this world?' How do you mean?"

His dark eyes came upon my face and he took in every inch of my skin. My cheeks grew hot and I looked away from his powerful gaze. Without warning, he placed his hands upon my cheeks. I was forced to look back into his blazing eyes. When I felt the cold of his skin, I knew that I had turned bright red. Would his ability to make me blush ever cease?

Finally, my favorite smile of his touched his lips. It was sincere, true, and most importantly, not uncomfortable. It fit in this atmosphere. He meant to smile like this at me. He was truly happy being here.

"How could I ever part from this?" he asked weakly. I could barely hear him with the bustle surrounding us.

"Part from what?" I was so immersed in his eyes that I didn't really understand the words coming out of his mouth. It didn't help that he was caressing my face, leaving tingles at every point where his fingers touched.

"Your blooming cheeks." He laughed, swiping a finger across my right cheek. "You always turn red whenever I look at you for a good amount of time."

I felt my cheeks grow hot again. "That's because you stare at every inch of my skin. It makes me uncomfortable."

His smile faltered slightly. "So, you don't want me to do it then?"

My heart picked up speed. "No," I said, much too desperately, "I love it when you do it. It's just that…" Sky's smile started to spread again. "It's just that I don't understand why you look at me like that."

"What? You mean why I look at you like you're the most beautiful girl in this entire world?" he asked sarcastically.

I glared at him. "Yes, that's actually exactly what I meant."

He grew serious at once. "Because you are. You're more beautiful than you'll ever know, Corie."

"You're a bit biased."

He laughed. "Yes, I suppose you're right." He brushed a piece of hair off of my face. "But I know a beautiful girl when I see one," he whispered.

There was still something I wanted to clear up. "What did you mean before? About becoming used to this world?"

A look of beguilement came to Sky's face. He always looked this way whenever I was too slow at understanding his words. I waited patiently for him to answer.

"What do you think I meant when I said that?" he queried, that same look plastered on his features.

I thought I knew what he meant but I didn't want to jinx it. What if he was just planning to say goodbye to me here? What if by saying he wanted to get used to this place he was just giving me false hope? My heart had been broken once by him; I wasn't ready for a second time.

He must have noticed the anticipation on my face because his smile faded and he started rubbing my arms again. "Hey," he said gently. "Hey, what's the matter, Corie?"

"Can't you just tell me why you're here? I want to hear _you _say it, Sky. That way, it'll hurt less if I have to guess."

He said his next words slowly and with such finality I knew that he meant them. All of the words rang with such sincerity and honesty; I had no doubt in my mind that they were true. "Corie, I didn't come here to simply visit you or watch your performance. True, that came hand-in-hand in the decision, but that wasn't the prime objective of Peter taking me here. That was for the Lost Boys. But I'm a very different case."

I let the words sink in. I was unaware that his hands had stopped rubbing.

"I came here to show you that I'm ready. I'm ready for change; I'm ready for a different world to live in; I'm ready for responsibilities; I'm ready for a family; I'm ready for love; I'm ready for a new life…with you." He leant towards me, his smile illuminating. "I want to be with you every day for the rest of my life. I knew that since the moment I saw you. I hadn't realized that, before I met you, each morning I woke up in Neverland, I was missing something. I used to wonder what it would be like to love someone more than anything else in my life.

"I even asked Peter about love. It was a sensitive subject; he never talked to anyone about Wendy, but since me and him are best friends, he felt comfortable talking about it with me. I couldn't understand how one girl could change his outlook on life. But now, I understand.

"Corie," he said, placing his hand on the right side of my neck. He held it there, almost like he was supporting the weight of my head. I continued to stare at him, not knowing what to say.

"Me coming here is my way of telling you that I am ready to live here, in this world. I will go to the United States with you. I will get on that plane, fly over the ocean, and prepare myself to take care of you for the rest of my life. I'll get a job, I'll buy us a house, we'll get married, we'll have children, all of that!" he cried out, laughing.

The smile faded and he gently rubbed the hollow of my neck with his thumb. "I'm telling you that I will leave Neverland with you tonight. I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you, Corie. There's nothing else in this world for me but you." He bent down and kissed my frozen lips. "What do you say?" He stood straight up, looking curiously down at me. "What do you say to living a full life with me? Does that sound all right to you?"

I could feel the tears in my eyes, the shaking of my hands, and the trembling in my heart. But I wasn't going to give any of that away. I wanted Sky to know that I was beyond ready to live a life with him. That was the most important thing right at this moment.

I gently curled my hands around his waist and placed my head upon his chest. His heart beat reverberated through the hollows of my ear. I felt his hands glide across my back, pressing me up against him.

"Yes," I whispered. One tear rolled down my cheek and rested in the fabric of Sky's shirt. "Yes, I'm ready for that."

And he lifted my chin and softly pressed his lips against mine.

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"We can't come to the dinner with you?!"

"What are we supposed to do?"

"Yeah, we really want to come to the dinner with you!"

The cries and complaints of the Lost Boys were all directed at Ali and me. We tried to quiet them down, shush them, but they were talking much too loudly for us to hear.

A whistle broke out over the shouts and it grew quiet at once. Even some people in the street put their hands to their ears at the shrill noise Peter made with his mouth. The Lost Boys looked loyally at their captain, waiting for his authority to take effect.

Peter was holding hands with Ali, but still looking as determined as ever to be in control over the boys. Ali was absolutely enlightened beside him. Every part of her was bright and ecstatic that the guys of our dreams were here. I must have looked quite similar. Sky's arm was wrapped around my waist. Since the minute we had first embraced, we were not able to physically detach ourselves from the other.

"Ali and I already discussed the dinner. We both agreed it would not be a good idea to sit with Corie and her for eating tonight," Peter formally said.

The Lost Boys' complaints started to build up again but Peter held up his hand.

"But Ali came up with a great idea." Peter looked down at her, his smile dazzling. "Go on," he said quietly, "you can be the one to tell."

Ali looked a little intimidated by the many eyes watching her. But she stepped forward all the same and cleared her throat. "I thought it would be a good idea for all of you guys to come to the restaurant tonight. It would be bad if you all sat at the same table as us, obviously, but you should still come. Just request a close table and sit by us and our friends. That way, we can still spend our last night in England with you guys."

The Lost Boys cheered and Ali stepped back to Peter. He intertwined his hand with hers again. Sky squeezed my waist and I flinched from the tickle. He laughed and kissed my cheek.

"So, what do you guys think?" Peter cried, holding up his hands. "Dinner with Corie and Ali tonight?"

"Yippppeeeeeeee!"

Sky pressed his lips against my hair as I laughed at the scene before me. The Lost Boys took out their toy drums and started banging them against each other's skulls. How I was going to miss this.

"And what do _you _think? Tree house in Neverland with Sky tonight?" he inquired, his lips still against my hair.

My heart skipped a beat. "Sounds perfect," I whispered.


	23. Beat It

Beat It

Dinner was at a restaurant called "Inn the Park", and it was the most exquisite place I had ever had the pleasure to dine at. My friends and I walked through the doors and found a quaint, homey, and snug room that fanned out over a large space. The walls were painted with beautiful murals of picnic sceneries, cliffs overlooking the ocean, and bright, bubbly clouds. The restaurant was dimly lit, each table seated below a small personal chandelier with a candle sitting in the middle. Not many people were there, but the second my choir entered, the atmosphere immediately became a crowded one. The smells from the kitchen were intoxicating, and I suddenly realized how hungry I was.

_"From my nerves_," I thought. I put my hand to my stomach to ease the pain.

The service host walked towards us, a round man with an oily smile. "Quite a large group we got here," he chuckled nervously.

"You can say that again," Dr. Brady muttered.

Once he put in his name, we were led near the back of the restaurant.

My friends were commenting on the setup, the smells, and the waiters of the steakhouse, but all I could think about was Sky.

The second he had let go of me was a sad one.

"We'll get more properly dressed, and then we'll meet you at the restaurant," he whispered into my ear as he dropped my hand.

"What?"

He looked closer at me and laughed. "Oh, dear, you're not in this world right now, are you?"

"Of course I'm not!" I exclaimed. "All I can think about is you. All I am looking forward to is tonight and being with you. How can I focus on anything else?"

He did me the honor of grabbing my hand again. His eyes shone at me under his breathtaking eyelashes. "I'm sure you'll manage. A couple hours won't be that torturous, will they?"

And they were. Knowing that he was in my world but not at my side made my teeth clench. I sat down in my chair quite forcibly, almost causing myself to bounce right out of it again.

"Geez, Corie, you okay?" Lisa asked me as she took the seat beside mine.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said.

"You look a little shaky. Post-nerves from your solo?"

"Something like that." I looked up at Ali from across the table.

Her eyes mirrored exactly what I was thinking.

We all got situated at our tables. We only needed two, but each one stretched about 30 feet or so. The sounds of our voices filled up the entire restaurant. Our glasses were filled up with water pitchers and our hunger was sufficed for the moment with breadbaskets.

I grabbed three loaves at once and stuffed them in my mouth.

"Slow down there, fatty," Elaine teased me.

I opened my mouth at her. My friends and I laughed.

Once conversation started, Elaine nudged my elbow. "I can't believe Sky came," she whispered.

Just the sound of his name made my cheeks flush. "I know."

"That must mean something good, right?"

I turned towards her, and I could almost feel the brightness of my smile. "He chose to come with me. He said the words right to my face!"  
Elaine's eyes widened. "He's coming home with us?!"

I nodded excitedly.

Elaine grabbed my hands and squealed in delight with me. "Corie, do you know what this means?"

"Huh?"

She leaned closer towards me and whispered, "Sky is going to be with you…for the rest of your life. You will never have to be away from him."

My heart leaped at the words. "I know," I said more to myself than to Elaine.

"Lord, where are they?"

I was bouncing in my seat, hardly able to control myself. The main course had come out already, and it had taken me about 2.5 seconds to wolf it down. I had beaten Ali by about half a second. She looked just like me: nails pounding on the table, a bunch of flyaway hairs coming out of her ponytail, and her bottom lip white from biting on it so much.

"Will you calm down?" Elaine said, touching my arm. "Sky told you they had to change. They're probably having a lot of trouble with that."

I laughed at that. "I haven't seen any of the boys in pants. That's going to be a treat to see."

Elaine giggled and then put a forkful of her lasagna in her mouth. She looked behind me as she began to chew. Her eyes suddenly widened, and she started coughing. The fork fell on her plate with a large clank.

"Jesus!" I cried out, pounding on her back. "Are you okay?!"

Through her coughing fit, she was able to nod her head. She pointed behind me, her cheeks red with strain.

I looked and my mouth fell open.

Peter, Sky, and the Lost Boys had walked into the restaurant, dressed from head to toe in double-breasted, silk, black suits. All of their hair was tamed down. Not a single strand was separated from the others, a condition I thought impossible to form. No dirt was on their faces, and even 20 feet away from them, I could tell that their nails were clean. It looked almost ridiculous how clean they were. Seeing Tootles without his leaf hat on was a strange sight to see. Slightly kept tugging at his collar as they walked closer, and I had to stifle a giggle. They all smiled the second our eyes fell on then, and I realized the rest of my friends were staring at them as well. Peter was at the front and Sky was right behind him. At once, our eyes met. His smile was dazzling, and he winked at me.

"Did that gorgeous guy near the front just wink at you, Corie?" my friend Anne asked, not bothering to look at me.

Jealousy surged through me, though I knew it was foolish. Sky was mine and always would be. "No. He probably wasn't looking at me."

"No, I think he was, Corie," Lisa said in a sly voice. She grinned at me.

"Shut up," I muttered, my cheeks reddening.

The boys sat down, and Sky and I had still not looked away from each other. Just being under the same roof with him was all I needed. I put my fist to my mouth to restrain myself from crying out to him. I wanted him so badly. The candles cast shadows against his face and magnified every feature of his: his pouty lips, his downcast eyes, his defined cheekbones, and his strong jaw. He smiled again at me, and I held down a small cry.

The waiter walked to their table and obstructed Sky from my view. I put my hand down on the table and struggled to see him again.

"Will you contain yourself?" Elaine chastised me, pulling me down. "God, since when did you become the horny friend?"

"Look at him!" I felt this was an explanation enough for my foolish ways, but I looked like a ravenous dog drooling over a steamy, juicy steak.

"I understand, but you and Ali need to wait for dinner to end before you go to them. Remember, you're not supposed to know them."

My shoulders slumped. "Yeah, I know," I said weakly.

Ali had the misfortune of not being able to face them. She kept peeking over her shoulder at Peter, and he would laugh quietly to himself every time she did so. She would swing her head back, wait two or three minutes, and then look again.

I, on the other hand, stared at Sky the entire time. Whenever someone would ask me a question, I would make eye contact with them for about five seconds, and then look back into his sparkling eyes once more.

I didn't even realize my dessert was in front of me until Ali cried out, "Wow, this looks delish!"

I looked down at the table and saw tiramisu, a favorite dessert of mine. "This just keeps getting better and better," I said to myself. I picked up my fork and slowly sunk it into the layers of fluffy cake that was soaked with coffee and melted, delectable chocolate.

As I brought the fork up to my mouth, I looked across at Sky. He stared hungrily at me.

With a quick smirk, I slowly slid the food into my mouth, tasted the exquisite food, closed my eyes in ecstasy, and then licked my lips in pleasure. When I opened my eyes, Sky was shaking his head at me, a hard smile on his face. "I hate you," he mouthed to me.

I puckered my lips at him. He laughed out loud at that.

"Can I have a bite of that?" Lisa asked.

"Sure!" I handed her my fork and looked back up at Sky.

Immediately, I noticed something had gone wrong.

Sky was in the process of standing up, but something had stopped him. He was slightly hunched over in his chair. He was looking down at an older man who was on the ground beside him, looking up in bewildered anger. "What the hell did you do that for?!" the man yelled out.

"Excuse me?" Sky asked, completely addled at what had just happened.

"I asked what the hell you did that for!"

Most of our table had stopped eating and looked around to see what was going on.

Sky's face started to darken with embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry, sir, I don't really know what you--."

"I was walking behind you to get to the bathroom, and you shoved your chair out to trip me!"

"No, sir, I was pulling my chair out to go to the bathroom as well. I hadn't realized that you were right behind me."

The other Lost Boys got up to help the old man, but he waved them away. "Huh, I'm sure I'm going to get the same amount of help out of you hooligans as much as your kind friend here!"

Some of the boys made sounds of protests, but Peter cut them off. Sky yelled out, "Sir! No need to be rude!"

It seemed as if the whole restaurant was staring now, and I just watched in horror. I couldn't move.

Now the man was standing up, facing Sky head on. "I only need to tell you one thing, young man. When I was _your _age, I made sure to respect my elders, not treat them like any o--."

"I had not realized you were behind me!" Sky let out a bitter laugh. "Do you honestly think I would have done that on purpose? Is that your image on the adolescents of today?"

"Not on all of them! But it's clear what kind of group you hang around with."

"Oh, please, sir."

"Don't give me that tone, sonny!"

At this, two waiters came over and put their hands on the old man. They were obviously trying to calm him down, take him in the direction of the bathroom, but he shook their hands off.

"No, no…this young man should hear what I have to say."

"Oh, I would love to," Sky said sarcastically.

The old man took a deep breath, and his chest heaved out towards Sky. "It's because of young folks like you that this world is such a crummy place. It used to be wonderful, full of kind, young, grateful youths. But because of your crowds, there are gangs, there are rapes, there are murders, there are hundreds of crimes every year! I blame you for all of that. You're too proud to admit that you wanted to see me fall. You're too proud to reach your hand down and help me up from the floor. When I was your age, I would have gotten on my knees and begged for forgiveness for the way you just behaved yourself."

Sky took a step towards him, and all of the Lost Boys flinched. "Is that what you want then?" Sky cried out. "You want me to get down on my knees?!"

"No!" The man was quite hysterical now. "I just want you to admit that it's your fault for why the world is what it is today!"

"You want to know why the world is so crummy, mister? It's because of people like you! I don't understand you people!" Sky cried out, throwing his hands in the air. "It's like you're trying to find explanations for everything! Why can't you just live? Why can't you just let fate take the reins in anything? You all need control. You all need a reason for everything. Why? I don't understand it! We weren't put here for us to find answers. We were put here because we _are _the answers. None of you get that! You're constantly questioning everything. I will never get it. I don't understand this world! It's absolutely ridiculous! Ridiculous!"

Sky ended his rant, his eyes right on me. He wasn't talking to the old man anymore, he was talking to the entire restaurant. I was frozen. I stared right back at him, feeling nothing but shock.

A man, who must have been the manager of the restaurant, put his hand on Sky's arm. "Excuse me, sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

It was silent. Everyone was watching now. The old man had relaxed. His hands had slid into his coat pockets, and a grim smile was on his face. The Lost Boys were all staring at Sky, waiting for his next move. Peter was the only one who did not have his eyes on his best friend. He was playing with his food, his head resting on his hand. He almost looked bored by the situation.

Sky was still staring at me, his gaze electrifying. I looked right back, but it wasn't in the same way. I could feel tears beginning to fill my eyes.

The manager pressed against Sky's arm. "I'm sorry, sir, but I must escort you out."

That broke Sky out of his reverie. He took a deep breath and looked apologetically at the manager. "No need," he muttered. He looked at me once more, and my heart rate quickened. "I'll see myself out."

The manager nodded and walked over to the old man. He began talking quietly to him, but I wasn't watching them. I was watching the man I love pick his coat up from the hanger behind him, push his chair in, and then squeeze past the tables to walk out of the restaurant doors.

He didn't look at me once on his way out.

"I have to go to him."

"Corie, that's ridiculous."

"I know he's outside waiting!"

"How do you know he hasn't flown back to Neverland yet?"

Elaine and I were having a whispered conversation during Dr. Brady's speech. He was giving out awards to all the choir seniors. There were tears and laughter at all the inside jokes that lasted throughout the years, but I couldn't focus on that right now.

"He wouldn't. He knows I would want to talk to him," I said quite stubbornly.

Elaine sighed. "I say just wait until tonight to talk to him."

"But Peter and the boys are still here, which must mean that he is too."

Peter kept looking from me to Ali with a strange look in his eyes. I didn't quite know what it meant, but it almost looked… condescending, like he knew something that we didn't.

The boys were now very fidgety. They were playing with their food, flitting back and forth from talking to each other to taking sips of their water. It was like watching a cartoon. I had never seen them look so nervous.

"They're not used to being in Neverland." Lisa had read my mind. I looked at her, and she put her hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! I just need to go talk to Sky."

"No," Elaine said from my other side. "I really don't think you should. I think he needs time to cool off."

Lisa made a tutting sound with her tongue. "Maybe not. Maybe seeing Corie would calm him down more."

My head flung around to Elaine, my face bright.

Elaine rolled her eyes. "If you really think it's a good idea, then go for it. I'm just saying that if I were him, I would need some time to cool down."

"Yeah, but you're not Sky."

I made sure that Dr. Brady wasn't looking my way as I got up from the table. Making sure to stay low, I walked past our table and over to the Lost Boys'.

"What are you doing?" Peter hissed at me.

"I'm going to go talk to Sky. Do you think he's still outside?"

Peter shrugged his shoulders. "Most likely. I don't think he has the heart to leave without us…or without saying goodbye to you."

That won me over. I shuffled my way out of the restaurant. My heart was racing against my chest. I opened the front doors as forcibly as I could.

He wasn't there. I froze in my spot. _"How could he not be here?"_

I started walking down the sidewalk a little ways. _"Maybe he needed a walk to cool down_."

Right as I began walking, I heard, "Corie," from behind me.

I flew around, and Sky was standing there.

It didn't matter that he still had that suit on. He now looked like a little boy, not more than 14. His head was slung down, and his shoulders were hunched. I gasped at the sight of him. It took only two seconds for me to be in his arms.

"Jesus, are you okay?" I asked against his stomach.

"Yes, I'm fine." He ran his fingers through my hair.

I looked up at him. "What the hell was that? I mean--." I shook my head and chuckled. "That was ridiculous."

Sky gave me a weak smile. "Yes, I know."

I waited for him to say something, but he continued to play with my hair. The smile had instantly left his face.

"Well…"I prodded.

He looked at me. "Well what?"

"Well…" I shrugged my shoulders. "What was with that? Why did you get so angry?"

His fingers froze, and his embrace became cold. When he spoke, his tone of voice was not familiar. It was lined with bitterness and chagrin. "Why did _I _get so angry? You should be asking why that ancient, old man was getting so angry."

"I know, I know. He was being ridiculous as well, but that's how some old men are! Some of them are just bitter about us young folks. I've met a thousand that are like that."

"That still didn't give him a reason to treat me the way he treated me! He was being undeniably rude!"

"I know, Sky, but you have to be patient with older people. Some of them just don't understand."

"Yeah, you're God damn right he didn't understand!" He took his hands off me and turned around, pacing a few feet away from me.

I watched in complete awe.

He was breathing heavily, trying to calm himself down. I couldn't understand why he didn't want me with him.

"Are we fighting right now?" I asked quietly. "Seriously?"

Sky shrugged his shoulders, still refusing to look at me.

"Have you forgotten it's my last day here?" I took a couple steps towards him. "You haven't forgotten that we only have this one night left together?"

He snorted. "Well, now we have the rest of our lives together. Now you want tonight to be perfect too?"

I recoiled at his sarcasm. I waited a second for his words to sink in. "You're not like this," I said, my voice slightly shaking. "I've never seen you this way before. What's gotten into you?"

When I saw his shoulders slump, I knew that had softened him. He slowly turned around, his eyes wide and repentant. He took those last steps we needed to be touching again. His hands were on mine, and I stared at them. He slid our fingers together so that we were entwined, and my heart beat crystal clear at the sight.

"I'm sorry," he said under his breath. I looked up at him at that. "I didn't mean to make you upset as well. Please don't be upset." He drew me closer.

"I'm not upset," I said shortly.

He evaluated me. "Liar."

I endowed a small giggle.

"I knew it," he whispered in my ear. He kissed my lobe and trailed his kisses from my ear, to my cheek, and then onto my lips.

We kept our lips pressed against each other's for a few seconds, and I was surprised when he suddenly opened my mouth with his and slid his tongue into my mouth. I moaned with pleasure.

I knew that we shouldn't have done it, but the second he grabbed the back of my hair, I succumbed.

It seemed as if there wasn't enough of him to grab onto. I wrapped my arms around his back and dug my nails into the softness of his suit. I wanted to make love with him right there, in front of all the citizens of this little town. I didn't care about anyone. I especially didn't care about that little, old man in there anymore. He didn't matter. All that mattered was that Sky was with me once more, kissing me harder than he had ever kissed me before.

His arms couldn't stay in one place for more than three seconds. He was roaming my body with his hands. They wrapped around my torso, they flowed through my hair, they ran along my collarbone, they rubbed against my cheek. I was breathless. He was kissing me so deeply, so passionately, I found it hard to breathe. My lips began to hurt, but it was good pain. I found that I enjoyed it. His tongue got deeper and deeper into my mouth, and I found it harder and harder to stand.

I don't know how long we had been kissing for before I pushed him off me. "I can't breathe," I gasped. My chest was billowing. I felt like I was having an asthma attack. "I can't breathe," I repeated.

Sky was heavily breathing as well. His eyes were half-open, dazed with desire. He nodded, trying to catch his breath as well. "Yeah…yeah…" he mumbled.

We both held onto each other, listening to the loud inhaling and exhaling. Luckily, not many people were out, so we didn't have to worry about anyone complaining of our clear public display of affection.

"I should get back inside," I finally whispered. "I have no clue how long we've been out here."

"Neither do I," Sky admitted.

We looked at each other and instantly started laughing. I leaned my head against him as I kept on giggling. I immediately wished that we hadn't parted at all, that his lips were still on mine, but I knew I had to get back inside before Dr. Brady noticed my long absence.

"I really have to go," I said, putting my hands on his chest.

"Then go," he said in his most seductive voice.

My entire body trembled in desire for him, and I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him once more.

"I love you," I whispered against his lips.

"I know," he responded.

I pulled away and gave him a glowering look.

He laughed and kissed the tip of my nose. "I love you too," he said sincerely.

I smiled, kissed him once more and slid out of his arms. I immediately felt cold.

Sky walked me to the door and the leaned against the side of the building. My thoughts went back to the man.

"Can we still talk later?" I asked reluctantly.

His eyes darkened, like I expected them to. "About what?"

"You kissed me to distract me. I still want to talk about what happened in here."

He rolled his eyes, but a grim smile stretched across his face. "Yes, we can talk about it tonight."

"Promise?" I pressed.

"Yes, Corie, I promise." His hair was fanned over his right eye, but I could see that he was sincere in his words.

"Okay, thank you."

I opened the door to walk inside, but then Sky's hand flew out and he grabbed my left wrist.

"What?" I asked.

When I looked at him, I saw that his eyes had that dazed look again. He stared hungrily at me as he walked towards me. My other hand slid from the door, and I went to him without any question.

"Be careful. Dr. Brady could see you," I said quietly as he pressed me up against him.

"Will you shut up and let me say goodbye?"

I shut my mouth, but glared at him all the same.

His laugh boomed, but then he quickly got quiet when he ran his hands along my bangs to push them aside. "Goodbye," he whispered. And he pushed his lips against mine one last time.

I should not have let him kiss me like that when I wasn't sure how many people were watching, but whenever Sky kissed me, I forgot about all my other surroundings and only focused on him.

Every time.


	24. Can You Find It In Your Heart?

The rest of the dinner went well enough, but I could feel not only Ali's eyes on me the entire time, but also Peter's and the Lost Boys'. I did all I could to ignore them. It was none of their business what Sky and I had discussed outside. I just looked straight ahead at Dr. Brady the entire time he spoke, looking away from the scrutinizing glances.

However, there was no way of avoiding them after dinner.

Peter pulled Ali and me away from the group the second we stepped out of the restaurant. Sky and the Lost Boys had already left to take off for Neverland. Peter was standing by himself right outside the doors, his arms crossed.

"Corie." His voice was like a whiplash, and there was no way of avoiding him.

I rolled my eyes and turned to him. "Yes?" I asked innocently.

"What did Sky say?" His tone was grim, and he was looking at me with that superior look of his.

A chill crossed down my spine. My eyes narrowed out of reflex. "You don't have to look at me like that, you know? I'm not one of the Lost Boys. I don't bow to your every order."

He opened his mouth, looking defiant, but Ali cut him off.

"She's right, Peter," she exclaimed, putting her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her in bewilderment. "If she wants us to know what they talked about, she would tell you," she said in a gentler tone. "And I'm sure Sky will tell you if he feels it's necessary."

"You really don't think I have a right to know what they talked about? Sky went ballistic in there!"

"So then he'll let you know if he wants to!"

Peter breathed evenly through his nose, trying to calm himself. "I just feel," he said in a steadier voice, "that I have a right to know…not only as his leader, but also his best friend."

My heart softened at that.

"All you need to know is that everything's all right. Plus, he said we would talk about it more tonight at Neverland," I explained.

"That's all he said?" Peter pressed.

I paused. "Yes…for the most part."

"What do you mean for the most part?"

"Geez, Peter," Ali said, "what's with the interrogation? Is there something you're not telling us?"

Peter's head snapped towards her, and he almost looked angry with her. But then when he saw the shadow pass across Ali's face, his eyes thawed from their cold stare, and became warm once again. He sighed and looked down.

"No…no, it's nothing. I was just…nervous for him." He looked right at me. "Nervous for him to come here."

I immediately understood.

"But it's nothing," he said in a brighter tone, standing up straighter. "We should forget all about it, since it is your last night and everything." His eyes were back on Ali once more, and my heart clenched on the look on both of their faces.

For them it was, most likely, their last night together. Sure, they talked about seeing each other again, but the chances of that were not too high. I could see the pain etched in Ali's eyes, and I could see the longing in Peter's stare. They would both be unbelievably heartbroken tomorrow morning.

I cleared my throat, and their faces were wiped clean.

"I should go," Peter said. "Plus, it looks like your group is leaving."

Sure enough, when Ali and I looked over our shoulders, we saw that our group was about thirty feet away already, walking back towards our hotel.

"Ok, see you tonight, Peter." I walked away to let them have their goodbye.

Lisa was near the back of the group, waiting for me. I ran to catch up to her and slung my arm through hers. "Hi," I said breathlessly.

"Hi," she said with a smile.

Something in her tone concerned me, and I nudged her with my shoulder. She looked at me curiously. "What?"

"What's up?"

"Nothing." She looked away from me quickly, her brown curls covering most of her face.

I wasn't going to give up that easy.

"Come on, Lisa. What are you thinking? I can tell when you're concerned about something. You always have this tone of voice that you use."

She sighed, but still looked right at me. "What Sky did in there was not really normal, Corie."

I instantly laughed. "I know...I know, but he's just not used to the real world yet."

"Will he ever be?"

The chill of her voice made my heart clench, and I looked at her more deeply than I had before. I was nervous for some reason. Whenever Lisa felt scared or apprehensive about something, it always ended up being more serious than I thought it would be. And now that she was scared about this…

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly.

She didn't want to answer. I could tell by the way she was restless. She kept avoiding my eyes, pushing her hair behind her ears. I felt my heart rate increase.

"Just tell me, Lisa."

Lisa sighed, but her voice was steady when she finally spoke. "I just don't think that Sky wants to come to the real world. Not only that…I don't think he's ready, and I don't think he'll ever be."

"No…no, we've talked about it. You weren't there. At the church--."

"It doesn't matter what he said, Corie. You saw how he reacted to that! How is he going to react when his boss treats him that way? Is he going to yell at a bunch of kids whenever he gets impatient? How is he going to act when your father interrogates him about your relationship? He just doesn't understand how this world works. At least Peter visits every so often, so he knows how to act in public."

"But you don't know him the way I know him, Lisa. If he works on it, everything will get better."

"Yeah, _if _he works on it. That's suggesting that he wants to work on it."

"What are you saying?"

All of a sudden, someone grabbed onto my other free arm. I jumped and saw Ali next to me, panting.

"Sorry about that. I was telling Peter what time he should probably come tonight. I told him later than usual, since we're probably going to stay up later with all the girls."

"Yeah, that was a good idea," I muttered.

Her eyes went from me to Lisa, and her smile fell from her face. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing," I said too quickly, flashing her a small grin.

She looked at Lisa again and then back at me. She sighed. "Is this about Sky?"

I looked away from her and Lisa answered for me. "We were just talking about that actually, Ali."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

We continued to walk in silence, neither of them saying anything. Ali finally cleared her throat and looked up at me with reluctant eyes. "Well, what about him?"  
"Nothing." I made sure to give this answer directly to Lisa.

Lisa just narrowed her eyes at me. "I want to see what Ali thinks about what happened."

"It's not a big deal!"

"Yes it is, Corie. How can you even say that?"

Ali interrupted before I could say anything. "That's just Sky though," she defended me. "He's always been a little unsure about how to act with people he doesn't know."

"You mean, people in this world," Lisa corrected her.

Ali looked away from her.

Lisa now put all of her attention on me. "You know I'm only saying this out of concern for you."

Her tone was different now, like she truly was sorry for having to say this to me. And I knew that she was. Although Lisa was headstrong and slightly opinionated, she was a fantastic, loyal friend. I could not think of a time where she was not there for me. I looked at her, my attitude very altered.

"I know. And I really appreciate that." She smiled. "But there really is nothing for you to worry about. Sky just has to get used to it, and I can help him with that."

Lisa grimaced. "Are you saying that because you honestly believe that, or are you trying to convince yourself that it's true?"

A chilly breeze cut through our group, and I could feel goose bumps rise up on my arms. "I guess a little of both," I whispered to myself.

And the three of us walked in silence all the way back to our hotel.

It was around ten' o'clock, and a large group of girls was in our hotel room, sitting in a circle on the floor. We had been in the same position for about two hours, just talking, laughing, reminiscing, and playing various card games.

"Who has the one picture of us outside that restaurant?"

"I do!"

"Ah, we all need copies of that!

"Yeah, that one was pretty adorable."

"I can't believe we're leaving tomorrow!"

"I know! I don't want to!"

The conversations were loud and rushed, yet I loved being in the middle of it. I loved being surrounded by these girls, because it gave me a reason to be distracted. It was a way of me not listening to the thoughts in my head. I could avoid Lisa's vigilant stares and Ali's distressed looks that were both directed at me. I could ignore the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Best of all, I could discount the image of Sky standing over the old man in the restaurant, yelling at the top of his lungs. I almost didn't want everyone to leave, because that meant Ali and I were going to leave soon. And that meant we would go to Neverland, our last time there. And that meant having to talk more about what happened with Sky. I wasn't looking forward to it.

But at the same time, I was dying for everyone to leave. I couldn't wait to see the stretch of green forest sitting in the middle of the sapphire ocean. I couldn't wait to hear the laughter of the Lost Boys. I couldn't wait to smell the perfume of the radiant flowers that grew up the rough bark of the trees. And most of all, I couldn't wait to touch Sky. I wanted to run my fingers through his hair, I wanted him to graze my arms with his smooth hands, and I wanted to lie beside him, his smile glowing just at the sight of me.

I felt torn when we got a knock at our door, and Dr. Brady was there with an authoritative look.

"Sorry, girls! We have to break this up. We've gotten two complaints."

A chorus of disappointed yelps erupted, but Dr. Brady held his hands up. "I don't want to hear. Y'all have been in here for at least two hours. It's time to go to bed now. We have a long day tomorrow."

Everyone started to pile out of our door with goodbyes and sad hugs. Dr. Brady wished us all a good night and closed our door for us. It was just the four of us.

Elaine looked at us, her brows knitted together. "Well…" she started.

"Our last night," Lisa added in.

"In England," Ali said.

"Yeah," I whispered. My voice cracked, and we all smiled weakly at each other.

Elaine laughed. "I can't believe how lame we are. We're about to cry."

"Well, it's just so different!" Ali cried out. "Even if we all come back here again, it will never be the same. It'll never be all of us together again. We'll all be older, we might all be completely different people…"

We all stood there, distinctive thoughts running through our heads, but they were all similar in that we did not want to leave this place. Not only had our lives changed significantly, the trip had changed us in a way. I felt like a different person, and I knew my other three friends felt the exact same way.

"We should probably go to bed though," Elaine said quietly. "Peter will be here soon." Her eyes were on me.

"Yeah," Lisa agreed.

"I'm going to shower tonight," Elaine announced, walking towards the bathroom.

"What time do we have to get up tomorrow?" Ali asked, holding onto the alarm clock.

"Dr. Brady said we have to be ready by ten," I answered, zipping up my biggest suitcase. I was all packed. It was weird to think that I was ready to go home, maybe not emotionally, but physically.

"I set the alarm for nine," Ali cried out, "so that we have an hour to get ready tomorrow morning."

"Okay," Elaine's muffled voice shouted from the bathroom.

"Sounds good," Lisa mumbled, sliding under the sheets of her bed.

I watched Ali as she put the alarm clock down. She was staring at the digital numbers almost as if they were her deathbed. I knew that she was counting down the hours until she had to say goodbye to Peter. My heart sank for her.

She looked up from the clock at me, and I pretended I hadn't been watching her. I smiled and asked, "Ready for bed?"

She grinned, not so whole-heartedly, back at me. "Yeah, I'm ready."

The both of us climbed into bed with giggles and light-hearted chatter. The shower went as the three of us stayed up for around ten more minutes until all of our eyes began to droop.

I wanted to fall asleep, but at the same time, I didn't. I wasn't ready for this. I had always hated endings, as long as I could remember, and this ending would be the hardest for me to face. This would be the last time Peter would ever fly to our window. More importantly, this would be the last time we would ever fly to Neverland.

I heard Lisa's slight snore build up in her throat, and I looked over at Ali to see if she was asleep.

Her eyes were closed, but I saw a single tear on the side of her nose. She must have been thinking exactly what was running through my mind.

I sighed and turned onto my other side. _"Just think…you have Sky for the rest of your life_."

And that was all that really mattered.

"Corie…Corie."

My eyes shot open to Ali sitting up in bed. The second I understood what was happening, I felt my throat tighten.

Tears sparkled in Ali's eyes. "Peter's here," she whispered to me.

I slowly sat up, the both of us staring at each other.

Ali really was a beautiful girl. Even with tears in her eyes and her trembling bottom lip, something about every movement she made and every curve of her face was very exquisite. It was no wonder why Peter was so crazy about her.

I reached toward her and grabbed onto her hand.

"Are you ready?"

She understood the meaning of my words. "Yeah," she sighed, pulling back her hair.

I smiled weakly at her.

Peter knocked what must have been the second time on the window, and Ali rolled her eyes at me. "Always so impatient."

I giggled.

She ran over to the window as I got up from the bed. I looked over to Elaine and Lisa's bed and saw that they were wide-awake. My heart jumped in surprise. "Oh!" I gasped.

They both smiled at my reaction, but then instantly became somber.

"Appreciate it," Lisa whispered.

"Say goodbye for us," Elaine said in a choked voice.

Again, I felt the tears well up in my eyes. "I will. I promise."

Neverland.

The last time I would ever be flying towards it.

My heart was soaring as the three of us skimmed the surface of the sparkling seawater. The twinkle of the stars reflecting off the surface caused a sob to escape my mouth. I looked over at Ali and saw a tear drop land in the water, mixing with the magic of what he had called home for ten nights. The island was beautiful as ever…how could it not be? My eyes widened at its subtle charm and how perfect it looked in its specific location. Peter flew us down closer to the ocean spray so we could smell and taste the salt of the water. He pointed down below the surface, and as if in a fairy tale, a family of dolphins was flying with us. They were going just as fast as we were, their slick bodies skimming through the waves. We all popped up in surprise when they jumped out of the water for a breath of air and then dived back into the depths once more. It seemed as if they were teasing us, playing with us, and the image of it was enough to give me chills. Ali gave a heartbroken chuckle, holding out her free hand to me to share the moment with her. I willingly obliged and grabbed onto her outreaching fingers.

Peter whistled and shot upwards. We followed, leaving behind our new and so quickly lost friends. We were flying over the woods now, our feet barely touching the top of the canopy. I breathed in the air, tasting the oak of the trees and the dirt that lay beneath each beautiful shrub. I was soaking it all in, knowing that there were only mere hours before this would only be a memory. Nothing more.

The Lost Boys didn't call to us, for the first time since our arrival. They were all silent, formed in that natural half-circle they always seemed to be in when Ali and I flew towards them.

Like always, my eyes always strayed to the tallest one: Sky. The man I was going to spend the rest of my life with. Seeing him had a way of calming me yet making my heart race quicker than it ever did. Seeing him made me realize that it didn't matter if I never saw Neverland again, just as long as Sky was beside me when I woke up each morning. I could live without almost anything just as he was the one who held my hand whenever I needed comforting.

We flew down through the branches of the trees, Peter in the lead. He landed in the center of the half-circle, looking straight on at the Lost Boys. Ali and I landed behind him, still hand-in-hand.

Then Peter looked over his shoulder, with a pain-staking smile that came out more as a grimace.

The Lost Boys rushed past him to us. I let go of Ali's hand and held out my arms to them.

Their soft skin against mine make my knees shake. I stifled my crying by pressing my lips on the closest one's head. Their scent was so beautiful, so unique; I had never smelled anything so wonderful. Their hands grabbed onto us, holding onto our shirts, softly playing with our hair. Ali and I did the same. Through my tears, I could see that Peter and Sky were still standing in their spots, looking at the scene with sorrowful smiles. I looked right at Sky, and he nodded at me, as if he knew what I was thinking. And to think of it, he probably did know what I was thinking.

_"Will I always miss them this much?"_

Yes, yes I will.

After the despondent embraces, we all straightened up and walked to the hideout. I had Curly in my left hand and one of the twins in my other. They were laughing now, telling stories of how they had flown to visit us. They would turn to me to tell me half of the tale, and then look at Ali to tell her the other half. Ali was cracking up, glancing down at Slightly and Tootles who were holding hands with her. I found myself laughing hard as well. They never failed to amuse me.

As we walked, I perceived every emotion, every move that each of the Lost Boys made. I noticed that Slightly, whenever he would get excited, would press his hands together as if he were praying and rub them together. I saw that Nibbs would laugh at almost everything his friends said, bending over at the waist as if he couldn't breathe. I knew that Tootles was one of the most selfless people in the world, just by looking into his bright, frivolous eyes.

I knew every one of them, just by these ten days. Already, I felt like a sister or a mother to them. Leaving them seemed almost unbearable. With their fleshy hands in mine, I felt like they needed me. It seemed foolish, but they held onto me as if they wanted me to stay with them forever.

Finally, we reached the hideout, and we all walked down the stairs to the main loft.

The second we got there, the Lost Boys all ran into their bedroom, laughing and giggling behind their hands. Only Sky and Peter remained.

"What's going on?" I chortled.

"A surprise," Peter said.

I was dismayed to see Sky look confused as well.

"A surprise?" he asked. "Why didn't I know about it?"

Peter rolled his eyes, walking towards Ali. "You'll just have to wait and see." He grabbed her hand, beaming down at her.

"What are you hiding from us?" she queried.

"Just wait!"

At that, Sky came over and casually stroked my cheek with the back of my hand. My skin tingled beneath his touch. I reached up and grabbed his hand, smiling up at him. "I'm surprised you don't know about this," I breathed.

"Yeah," he said, looking disconcerted. "I mean, I would understand if _both_ Peter and I don't know, but the fact that I'm the only one…"

"It's probably nothing big…that's why they didn't tell you."

He smiled. "You have a way of making everything sound so much better than it is."

"It's a talent," I teased.

Sky lightly kissed my cheek, turning towards the Lost Boys' bedroom since we heard their obvious approach.

They were all lined up in stacks, Slightly in the front holding something behind his back. All of them were now hatless, as if this were some exceptional occasion. It was almost comical to see. Nibbs was shushing the younger ones, bonking anyone's head that had a hat on it. As quick as a flash, that person would grab their hat off and fold their hands in front of their body.

"What is this?" Ali asked with a chuckle.

"In honor of Ali, Corie, and Sky's departure," Slightly announced, "we have put together a goodbye present."

Sky had twitched when Slightly had said his name, but when I looked up at him, he was looking delightedly at me. "You guys didn't have to do that," he said in a gentle voice.

"We wanted to!" the twins cried out.

"We had to, Sky," Tootles said.

"So, now!" Slightly cried out to gain attention once more, "we now present…" He moved his hands in front of his body to expose the gift.

All the Lost Boys cried out, "Tadah!"

The three of us gasped.

"Your own personal Neverland!" Slightly finished.

It was absolutely sensational, with the touch of a kid's raw creativity yet a deep underlining of allusion and substance that something an adult would build. It was a poster board about fourteen inches wide and eleven inches long, filled with every memory, every foundation that had taken place since Ali and I had first arrived.

In silence, the three of us approached, staring wide-eyed at the masterpiece. "Do you like it?" Slightly whispered.

We didn't answer, but reached out to touch the poster. Ali's hand brushed against the pirate flag of Captain Hook's ship, where there lay a scribble of the Lost Boys saving me from my kidnapping. Sky touched the soft tops of the trees where the battle with the Indians took place. I pressed the beads of the fairy's lights, sitting in the darkness of Fairy Forest. Over the entire poster board, there was Neverland, so real, so substantive, it seemed almost impossible that they boys could have done this by themselves. But then I would mind the terrible handwriting of our names and the disastrous pictures of us throughout the presentation, and I accepted that this was their original work. It was amazing. Looking at it made me feel like I was outside in the dark woods. Whenever I would press my fingers against a specific occasion that the Lost Boys had drawn on, I could see the image in my head, as if it was occurring right at that instant.

"And, Sky, we put a little more on the back…just for you," Nibbs pointed out.

Slightly flipped over the poster board.

Here, there were drawn more memories, more occurrences that I didn't know and understand. Sky laughed at the sight, but I was shocked to see tears running down his face. I felt almost chagrined to see him like this. His fingers brushed over all the times he had here in Neverland, the place that he loved more than anything else in the world. When I looked at his heartbroken smile, I wanted to smile with him; I wanted to have my heart flip in joy, but all I truly felt was the cold sting of guilt resting in the back of my conscience.

_"I'm taking him away from this."_

It was the first time I had truly admitted that to myself, and it felt terrible.


	25. Especially for You

Especially for You

"That was really something."

Sky directed this to Slightly and then ruffled his hair. They both laughed.

That was an understatement.

Sky had nearly sobbed when seeing the poster board…a side of him I had never seen before. It almost frightened me; it certainly caught me off guard. I hadn't expected his reaction be anything like that, so I was still shaken up from it.

All the Lost Boys were now hugging Sky or touching his arm with a look on their faces that pained me to look at. I turned away from the scene without causing distraction.

I began to walk to the dinner table, and Ali caught my arm. "I didn't think I'd already be crying," she chuckled, wiping a tear off her face. She caught sight of my expression and instantly became somber. "Corie, what is it?" she asked, reaching towards me.

"It's nothing," I tried to say in a bright tone.

Ali wasn't buying it.

"Something's up," she said with narrow eyes.

"I'm obviously upset about leaving. That's all."

She looked deep into my eyes. "You're such a liar."

I scoffed and went over to the table to sit down, Ali right on my tail. I looked to where Peter had been standing previously, and he was now with the Lost Boys, sharing the moment that had hurt too much for me to look at. The guilt was causing physical pain in my chest. I pressed my hand against my heart to ease it, but it did nothing.

"Corie, come on." I looked to my right and saw Ali in the chair next to me, her face so full of sympathy and innocence, I felt like I was staring at one of my sisters. I knew I could confide in her.

"I feel…" I couldn't find the right word. "Guilty" wasn't strong enough and "bad" just didn't even reach it. I looked at my friend with wide eyes. "…horrid."

She looked at me with an astonished expression. " 'Horrid'?" she quoted me with a note of disdain. "Where are we now? In Henry VIII's royal kingdom?" She laughed.

I didn't return the laughter.

"Okay okay," she eased me, turning me away from the boys. "I know you're upset. I shouldn't be making fun of you. But what could possibly be making you feel so…horrid?"

"Look at him."

Ali didn't need specifics; she knew whom I was talking about. She looked at the Lost Boys who were now partaking in an activity that looked like fight club. Sky was wrestling with Tootles, the two of them cracking up. The rest of the boys were cheering them on, the majority pumping their fists for their brother that was leaving.

"He looks fine!" Ali exclaimed, turning back to me. "What's your problem?"

"He doesn't look fine. He looks spectacular!" I corrected her. She brow furrowed in confusion, but I pressed on. "Sky is so happy here. This is all he knows! This is the one place that he loves! He can't love it anywhere else."

"Calm down, Corie!" Ali cried, holding her hands up. "What are you freaking out about? I feel like you're about to have a heart attack for no reason!"

I realized how loud I had been. Immediately, I looked towards the boys to see if they had noticed, but Sky and Tootle's wrestling match was still taking place. My head turned back to Ali, and I took a deep breath to calm myself.

"I'm selfish," I whispered.

And it was true. Never had I said these words aloud, and hearing them caused the pain in my chest to ignite. I put my hand to my heart to ease it, but it did nothing. I figured that nothing would ever help that.

"Corie," Ali said gently, "you're not selfish. Sky loves you! I'm sure that he would much rather live in your world than live in his without you."

I looked up at her. "Do you really think that?"

"I know that!" She smiled. "The way he looks at you…it's nothing I've ever seen before. It's like a man looking at the sky for the first time."

I laughed and hit her arm. "Ok, be a little more cheesy."

She rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Now, come on. Stop being a party-pooper. This is our last night with the boys, and we can't spend it sitting in the corner, crying over something we have no reason to be upset over."

I straightened up in my chair and plastered a smile on my face. "You're right!" I looked over at the fight that was still taking place. "Let's go cheer Tootles on."

And we did. Ali and I ran over to the circle of our favorite boys and became part of the mob as we pumped our fists in the air and praised for the younger of the two. I smiled, laughed, and cried out with passionate fervor, but deep inside, I still couldn't shake away the resting guilt.

After the fight, the Lost Boys led us outside of the hideout and into the woods. They said they had a surprise for us.

"What is it?" Ali cried out, too eager for her own good.

"We can't tell you! Then it wouldn't be a surprise!" Tootles cried back at her.

Sky was walking beside me, a huge smile on his face. I noticed that he kept rubbing at his right shoulder.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

He saw me looking at him and he shrugged. "Nothing's wrong."

A sheepish look crossed his features as he rubbed at his shoulder some more.

I laughed. "Are you sure you let Tootles win that fight, or did he really win?"

He pushed me with his one arm. "Shut up. He's a big kid."

In shock, I began laughing some more. A kid who was shorter than me had beaten a 6'8 Sky. "You're telling me that you lost to Tootles. I thought you were being the bigger person and letting the kid win!"

My laughter was now being noticed. All the Lost Boys were looking towards me, curious expressions on their faces.

Sky quickly covered my mouth and waved at the boys. "Ignore her. She had too much Fairy Milk."

They gave us broad grins, but continued to chat and discuss the surprise in suppressed details.

"Release me," I said, my voice muffled.

"If you promise not to tell anyone that Tootles beat me." Even he couldn't say it without laughing.

I pushed his hand off, but couldn't stop cracking up. "I am ashamed to call you mine."

He faked a pout. "How could you say that?" he asked, his voice slightly cracking. I almost reached towards him out of sympathy, but a smile broke his features. "Nah, I'm just joking."

We continued to laugh for a couple minutes, and he slid his hand into mine. My laughter died down, and I noticed how natural it was for us to be touching. It was almost second nature to me. Having contact with Sky was like blinking or taking breaths; it was a reflex.

I stared at out entwined fingers, and I sighed.

"What?" Sky asked.

When I looked up at him, he still had a wide smirk on his face. He was so happy. I wanted to forget about that guilt that I had felt before, but it was still sitting on my conscience. I squeezed his fingers and shrugged my shoulders.

"Nothing," I said.

He returned the squeeze. "Eh, come on. You think I really don't know when something's up with you?"

I still didn't say anything, because I had no idea how to word it. I had no idea how Sky would take it, especially at this point. We were leaving in only a couple of hours; how could I bring up something so naïve and miniscule when his whole life was about to change? But at the same time, I felt like maybe it wasn't that small.

"Corie," he pushed. "Do you want to talk about the restaurant still?"

That surprised me. I had completely forgotten about that. And now that he had mentioned it, the guilt felt heavier. What Lisa had said was in the back of mind, a broken record in my eardrums: "I just don't think that Sky wants to come to the real world. Not only that…I don't think he's ready, and I don't think he'll ever be."

My heart thumped against my chest.

"No," I managed to finally say. "I don't really want to talk about the restaurant."

Sky stared at me, his eyes wide. "Seriously? You seemed pretty set on it before…" He still continued to look at me, analyzing every expression that crossed my face.

I knew that he could read me well, so there was no point in lying. Sky and I always knew when something was wrong with the other. It was the instinct that lay deep within our relationship.

I took a deep breath and looked up at him with tight eyes. "Maybe we should talk about it when we get to the tree house. I don't want you in a sour mood right now."

Sky's face darkened. "Whatever you say is going to put me in a sour mood?" he asked quietly. I could hear the irritation in every word.

"Well it's not going to make you angry, but it's not going to make you happy either."

What a fantastic way to put it.

Sky exhaled, and I looked up to see his jaw was clenched.

"Please don't be angry. I promise it's nothing bad. I'm just being paranoid about stuff," I pleaded.

"You promise?" he said, his voice still hard.

"Yes." I squeezed his hand. "I just want to make sure that everything is perfect before we leave, you know?"

His face softened at that. He looked down at me with a reluctant smile. "Isn't it always perfect with us?"

I beamed at the sight of his smile. "Yes, but you and I both know how intense our arguments can be."

He leaned towards me, and his hushed breath against my face made my cheeks flush. "And you and I both know how great the makeup sex is after our intense arguments."

I pushed him away, but squeezed his hand again. "I love you," I reminded him.

"Ditto," he teased.

I ruffled his sandy hair.

"We're here!"

I looked up at Tootle's cry and saw that we were standing in the clearing of Fairy Forest. Twinkling lights surrounded us and the buzzing of the fairy's wings was tickling my ears. It was always a delight to come here; it never got old, but why would the Lost Boys take us here on our last night? Didn't they say they had a surprise for us?

I looked across the crowd and saw that Ali was thinking the same thing as me. She was smiling, but looking around her apprehensively.

"Well, this is nice. B-but…" she stammered. She broke with a nervous smile.

"What is it?" Peter asked Ali, looking down at her with a knowing smile.

Something was up.

"But we've been here before," I helped Ali. "And I thought you said you guys had a surprise for us."

At that, the Lost Boys broke out into quiet laughter. They hit each other's shoulders and covered their mouths to suppress their giggles.

"OK," Ali said, throwing up her arms, "what's going on? What are we doing here?"

Half of the boys went to her and the others came over to me. They pulled me away from Sky, leading me towards the center of the clearing. I looked over my shoulder at Sky, and he just waved leeringly at me.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked in mock horror.

"Just wait," Nibbs ordered.

Once we were in the middle, the boys sat us down. I plopped down onto the leaves next to Ali. I looked at her in bewilderment. She mirrored my expression.

"All right," Curly announced. "This is the greatest honor anyone could ever have."

The boys were now standing in front of us, Sky and Peter included. It looked like they were shielding the view of the woods from Ali and me. We couldn't see behind them, and it seemed as if something was directly behind their backs. I tried to peek my head around the group, but they kept moving around so as to hide the sight from me.

Curly continued, "It took a lot of convincing and pleading, and in the end, getting on our knees and begging."

"And we all know, English gentlemen do not beg," Ali intervened, holding her pointer finger up. The two of us began laughing, but the boys shushed us immediately.

"This isn't a joke!" one of the twins yelled out.

We stifled more laughter, and Curly continued. "As I said before, it is an honor that many people have never had the pleasure to see. All of us have only seen it once, and that was when we lost one of our own." He broke off and gave a side look to Sky.

I looked at him also and saw that Sky was looking down at his feet, shuffling his bare toes along the tall grass. My heart ached for him. If I ever lost Ali, I don't even know what I would do.

"Anyway," Curly said in an uplifted tone, "since we figured this is a very rare time, this was a special occasion. Never before have we had such wonderful visitors." The Lost Boys beamed at us, and tears instantly filled my eyes. "And also, we are losing another brother of ours." He reached his hand out for Sky's and Sky surprisingly took it, smiling weakly at Curly. "We understand why you are. Who doesn't?" Everyone suddenly looked at me, and my cheeks turned red. I buried my face into my knees, and they all laughed.

"Corie and Ali." When I looked up, someone new was speaking: Peter. He was now in Curly's spot, his leader position more poignant than ever. I stared at him, feeling his authoritative power take over me. "Words can never describe how much you two mean to us. We have been through so much together: mini adventures, stories, laughter, fights, kidnapping, arguments, and even love."

His voice had never sounded so calm. I found that his words were causing the tears to brim over my eyelids and slide down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away before anyone noticed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Ali's shoulders were shaking with sobs. I reached over and rubbed the top of her knee soothingly.

Peter continued. "It is terrible to think that…" He quickly looked away, trying to keep his stature. He cleared his throat and shook his head. "It is terrible to think that you will never step foot in Neverland again." At this he looked straight at Ali. Her shoulders shook more. "I can't explain how much it pains me to think of that." His voice broke on the last word and he shook his head again. He had to regain his composure again, and he kept talking. "You two are our world now. It's hard to believe that we've only been together for ten days, because I feel like I've known you two my whole life. And such a long life I've had." He smiled at that.

"I remember when I first met you guys. You reacted just like Wendy did: you didn't believe me, yet you were infatuated with what I had to say. When I first flew, your eyes grew wide enough to stretch across your entire face." Ali and I laughed. "And the look on your faces when you first saw Neverland."

Even from our distance from Peter, I could see that tears were in his eyes. I was crying hysterically now. I tried to swallow it all down, try to get through this moment without looking like a complete baby, but it was impossible. Everything Peter was saying was bringing up my favorite memories of the past days. And he was right: ten days and I felt like these boys were my family. I never thought that was possible. If someone had told me that I would fall in love with a boy after knowing him for only ten days, I would have laughed in his or her face. The truth was though, I fell in love with Sky the first time I saw him. Neverland had a way of changing everyone's perspective. It was complete magic.

All the Lost Boys were crying now, and it physically hurt to see them all like that. Sky had his fist up to his mouth, but I saw this his shoulders were shaking as well. It was a sob fest. All of us were letting all of our emotions out. I kept having to wipe my hands across my face. Tears were continuously coming out of my eyes. There was no stopping them.

"Anyway, you girls already know how much you mean to us," Peter managed to say. "We don't need to go into details about our love for you."

We nodded with weak laughter.

At this, Peter slowly turned to Sky, as if he was dreading this part, and he couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears erupted from his eyes as he looked at his best friend. He was shaking uncontrollably, no longer able to keep his leader stature. We all understood the significance of this speech. And it hurt so much to see the exchange.

Sky was no longer trying to hold it in as well. His sobs were loud, almost booming. He still had his fist up to his mouth, but it was no use; his tears were crashing down his face, hitting the forest floor over and over.

I looked at Ali, and she looked at me. I figured I looked at pitiful as her. We turned our heads back at Peter and Sky.

Sky walked towards Peter, still keeping distance between them to allow Peter his moment.

Peter was a mess. It took him nearly a minute to finally take normal breaths. He cleared his throat and looked Sky full in the face.

"Sky," he finally said. More tears. "I…I absolutely…I _hate _knowing you can't come back to Neverland once you fly off with Ali and Corie. That is why I plan on staying here. I don't think I have the heart to see you in that world, knowing I can't help you get through it." Sky nodded, wiping his face.

Peter smiled through his tears. "But I know that Corie will help you. She would do a better job than me." They both turned their heads towards me, and I couldn't bear to look into their eyes for more than a second. I bit my lip and cried into my knees.

"She loves you Sky…just as much or maybe even more than we do. That is why you need to go there. That is why it is essential you leave your home and start a new one with Corie.

"I know you're scared. We all are for you. I don't blame you. But I know you can do it just as long as your hand is always resting in Corie's. And as long as you know that we're always thinking about you, praying for you, and hoping that you're thinking of us just as often as we will.

"You know how much your friendship means to me. It is what keeps me going everyday. Your support, your kindness, and your compassion for this life are what have kept us going through all the years.

"I will never be bitter about you leaving. I have seen many people come and go, and I have always understood about that decision. When I lost Wendy--." Peter caught off at this, looking down at the ground. Sky put his hand on Peter's shoulder.

Sky nodded. "I know," he whispered. "I know what it meant to you."

Peter looked up at him. "And you were there for me. It took me years to get over it, but you were always there for me."

A slight smile reached Sky's lips. "I learned from the best."

Peter shook his head. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, Peter," Sky said, his voice shaking. "You think I don't take account of all the times you comforted me whenever I was upset about my family? And you don't think I remember all the times you talked to me whenever I was pissed off, crying, or just confused about Tug dying?"

"Yeah." Peter's voice was weak, almost childlike when he spoke. He looked up at Sky with big eyes. "I guess we've both helped each other."

"You know that we have."

And with that, they hugged. It was one of the most beautiful moments I had ever seen, and yet, that preoccupied guilt was still resting on my mind. I was tearing these two best friends apart, and I hated knowing that.

As if Ali knew what I was thinking, she put her hand on my knee and rubbed it for about two seconds before taking it down again.

I could not even imagine if the roles were switched: Ali in Peter's, and me in Sky's. If Ali and I had to say goodbye to each other like our guys were doing right now, I would not even have the breath to say my feelings to her.

And it was different. Ali and I had met freshman year of high school…Peter knew Sky since he was a baby. What was I doing?

I kept my eyes away from the scene until they finally parted. I was scared that I would cry even more. It seemed pointless though, because even looking at the forest floor, tears continuously fell on my knees.

"Now that _that_ tear fest is over," Peter laughed, his nose still stuffy.

All of us laughed, but still wiped the trail of tears off of our cheeks.

Sky was sitting next to me now. The second he had come over to me, he had put his head in my lap, shaking uncontrollably. All I knew to do was just to touch every part of him: his hair, his face, and his back. I just wanted him to know what I was there for him; more importantly, I wanted him to know I was sorry. I was so sorry for making him react like this. I could not shake away the feeling that everyone would not be crying if it weren't for me taking Sky away.

I tried to ignore that and enjoy the surprise show that was planned for Sky, Ali, and me.

"Anyway, like we were saying, this show is a very great honor. It rarely occurs, on account of the secrecy this group of people enjoy so much," Peter said, walking back and forth.

Immediately, my head snapped to Ali. "Mermaids?" I whispered.

She rolled her eyes. "How can it be mermaids? We're in the middle of the forest!"

"Shhhhh!" the Lost Boys hissed at us.

We turned out heads back to Peter at once.

"Like I was _saying_," he said, glaring at us, "we prepared this for you guys…to let you know how much we love you." He looked behind him, obviously searching for the performers.

"I think I can hear them coming."

I craned my neck to get a good look. However, I didn't see anything.

"Yep, they are definitely close." Peter looked back at us. "Anyway, we would like to formally introduce…"

Before he could finish, there was a bright flash of light; it was so bright, I covered my eyes and looked away.

"…the King and Queen of the fairies," Peter announced.

At that, I opened my eyes and looked before me. My mouth fell open.

Where Peter had just been standing were now two of the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen in my life. They were clearly fairies; they were only taking up about eight inches of the air in front of us. However, the way they floated, the way their garments slinked through the air as if they were swimming in water, and the brightness of their faces had a way of making everything around them look small, insignificant.

Straightaway, my eyes went to the Queen. If she had been my size, her beauty would have made me shrink away from her. Everything about her was exquisite: her long, wavy sun-kissed hair that softly touched the middle of her back, her sharp features that made me inhale as I stared at her face, the flowy pink dress that curled perfectly around her thin frame, and how she seemed to magnetize everyone's eyes to her first. She was mesmerizing. Without looking around me, I could tell that my friends were all staring at her as well. It was as if she had a pure aura around her. She glowed in the darkness of the forest. Her bright tiara did nothing to maim her hair; it almost added to the perfect texture of it. I had never seen anyone more beautiful than her. It was clear to me why the fairies considered her to rule their kingdom.

After looking at every inch of the Queen, my eyes went to her partner: the King of Fairy Forest. It made sense why the King would choose someone as beautiful as the Queen as his wife: he was just as beautiful. His boisterous crown was much more jeweled that the Queen's, but that was not what was most impressive of him; it was his outfit. It almost looked like a British Revolutionary war uniform. The blood red sleeves and coat were lined with gold. The buttons shone brightly, glinting off of my eyes. His pants were red as well, lined with the gold fabric. His face was stunning as well. He looked like the Ken to his Barbie. His blonde hair was shaggy, framed nicely around his almond-shaped face. His shape was fit, muscular. Again, if he were regular-sized, I figured he would have looked something like Sky's body shape. He was unreal, too perfect. I felt like I was staring at two angels.

The way they moved was so poised, so in sync, that it was then when I realized they were dancing. I guess I should have known it at first, but it looked so natural for them to move that way. I stared at them enviously.

The King was obviously leading the Queen. His strong stature looked like he could lift her through the air, and that he did. It was almost like a ballet, better than any Nutcracker show I had ever seen. They were both undeniably flexible: when he raised her into the air, she bent backwards, lying across his supporting arm. No matter how complicated the moves of the Queen were, the King would lift her without any constraint.

And it was clearly a dance of love. The two of them clung to each other. Whenever the Queen would tiptoe through the air away from the King, he would rush to her, catch her, throw her over his shoulder, and her back would arch, and she would fling her arms smoothly into the air. Her dress was a cascade of color as she spun around the King. His hands seemed to find her easily, again, as if she magnetized him. Whenever their eyes met, there was nothing but pure passion. He cared for her, and she for him. It was not a marriage for power; it was clearly a marriage for true love.

After a couple minutes through the ballet, Sky slipped his hand in mind. I quickly took a look at him.

His smile made my heart stop. He quickly leaned towards me and kissed me before turning his head back to the dance.

I had almost forgotten that I knew someone more beautiful than the King and Queen Fairy.


	26. Ready to Grow Up

Ready to Grow Up

Sky's hand was in mine, and he was leading me away from Fairy Forest. I had been waiting for this moment all night, and the fact that it was finally happening, had me quivering in my slippers.

However, I knew that I had to tell Sky about how I felt…about the guilt that was crushing my conscience. I had to let him know that I had never felt so selfish in my entire life.

The Fairy King and Queen had introduced themselves to Ali and me. They did not speak our language, so Peter had to translate for us. They said they were happy to perform for us and hoped that we had a safe voyage home. Peter grimaced when he said this bit to Ali, and Ali plastered a smile on her face.

"Thank you," she had said, her voice shaking.

"We really appreciate it," I said to them.

They were spectacular, and it was sad to see them ago. The night was full of goodbyes that I was not ready to handle.

Sky and I had separated easily enough. We said we were going for a walk and would be back soon enough. When Sky had announced this, Ali stared steadily at me. I tried to avoid her eyes, but it was hard to hide my smile.

"You have no idea how hard it has been to keep my hands off you," Sky growled now. He was basically running through the woods, out clothes catching onto various twigs and branches.

His hand on mine was not enough. I stared at his backside with desire flaming up inside me. "I know what you mean."

He swung his head around to smile at me. "I have only been thinking about the tree house the past couple hours."

My thoughts went to us leaving in only an hour or two. I could see Sky's tears falling down his cheeks as Peter made his speech to him.

"Is that really all you've been thinking about?"

He slowed down immediately. His stride matched mine and we were now walking side-by-side.

"No. I mean, it's the main thought that has been in my head all day, but you know that it is not the _only_ thing I have been thinking about." His voice was quiet, almost a whisper. I felt like I was talking to one of the younger Lost Boys, trying to get an answer out of them.

"What else have you been thinking about?" I tried to keep my voice casual, but it was hard to do so when I wanted to tell him so badly how I felt.

Sky shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "You know…everything: us leaving tomorrow, meeting your parents, saying goodbye."

"In that order?" I teased.

It didn't work. His look was still somber when he looked at me. "You know what I mean. I just…a lot is on my mind."

I squeezed his hand. "I know. That's why I asked. I wanted to make sure you're okay."

He squeezed my hand back and when he looked at me, my favorite smile of his was on his face. "Nothing for you to worry about, love. Nothing for you to worry about."

I kissed him swiftly.

That got him walking quicker again.

I let out a groan. "Sky! My arm is starting to feel like a ragdoll's!"

He gave a boisterous laugh. "Don't you want to get there?"

I sighed. "Then why don't we fly?"

He stopped so quickly that I ran into his backside. All the air flew out of my chest. "Oomph!" I grunted.

"Sorry." He stroked my cheek. "But that's a great idea."

And in a flash, I was in his arms, staring up at his heavenly face. I immediately smiled.

"I always have the great ideas," I whispered.

He rolled his eyes. "Give me a break."

And with that, we rose into the air, flying towards our favorite destination of all.

It took only about three minutes to get there, and by the time we were there, we were no longer talking. The meaning behind this occasion was sitting on both of our minds. My heart was racing and I could feel his heart thump against my arm as we flew onto the wooden porch of the tree house.

He gently placed me down on the planks but kept his arms tight on my shoulders. I looked up at him.

The look on his face almost made my knees buckle. I knew that this meant a lot to him, but the way he was looking at me was enough to knock the wind out of me again. It hurt to love someone this much. It was a good pain…enough to make my heart clench every time I stared into his eyes or enough to make my toes curl when he ran his fingers through my hair.

"Sky," I whispered.

He lightly pressed his finger against my lips. "Save it."

And then his finger was trailing from my lips to my chin, across my neck, to my collarbone, down to the top of my bra. He fingered the lace through my pajama shirt. I would have glared at him, but my eyes were closed in ecstasy, letting him make the next move.

With no warning, his hands were on my shoulders and he pushed against me forcefully. My back hit the doorframe of the house, and I gasped in surprise and pleasure.

He smiled at my gasp. "Corie…" he muttered.

"What?" I managed to get out.

He grabbed my hand and slowly reached it up to place it on his face. I couldn't do anything but stare at him. He turned his head so that his lips were pressed against my palm. Gently, he kissed my skin, so gently that it felt like a fairy was grazing my hand.

My head was spinning. I used the doorframe to keep my stance casual and pretended that I could take this as well as Sky was taking this.

_"Why doesn't he just do it already?"_

But the truth was…I liked what he was doing: I liked the way he made me wait; I liked how he knew exactly where to touch me; I liked the way he looked at me as if I was the only person on the planet; I liked that he never seemed to get sick of kissing my skin.

"I know what you're doing," I whispered suddenly.

His eyes opened in surprise and he stared down at me. "What am I doing?" His voice was hoarse, and I knew that he wanted to go inside as much as I wanted to; I wasn't about to let him get what he wanted so easily though.

"You're trying to avoid the subject…about before. I said I wanted to talk to you, and now you're distracting me."

He pressed his lips against my hand again. "Well, is it working?" he asked demurely.

My heart agreed, but I shook my head. "No. I want to talk to you."

"It's not working?" he said in mock horror.

I pressed my lips together to avoid smiling.

He let out a laugh, but kissed my hand once more. In a flash, he dropped my hand from his cheek and pushed against me so that my back was flat against the doorframe.

"Is it working now?" he said under his breath.

Even his scent was intoxicating. It hit my face, but I did all I could to remain calm. I just closed my eyes and turned my head away from him.

"Do what you can; it's never going to work."

"Oh, really?"

"Really."

Suddenly, his hand was under my shirt, just barely grazing the skin under my bellybutton. I nearly jumped.

"Even this?"

His hand slid up torso, grabbing me around the waist.

"Sky…" I protested. "You said you would talk to me." I was surprised by my strength. All I wanted to do was go on the couch in the tree house and do what we had done the last time we were there. However, I knew how stubborn Sky was _and_ how persuasive he was.

Sky leant towards me and put his mouth against my earlobe. "We have all night," he whispered. "We can talk after."

My heart jumped at the thought, but I didn't let him see it. "You promise?"

"Yeah."

When he looked at me, he knew I was his. A sly smile crept across his lips and he knelt down towards me.

I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him as hard as I could.

Surprisingly, he flew all the way back so that his backside hit the opposite frame of the door.

"Hey! What the he--!"

He didn't have time to protest, because I flew at him, pressing my lips firmly against him.

Sky immediately responded. He picked me up, hitched my legs around his waist, and opened my mouth with his. I gasped against his teeth and dug my nails into his back, kissing him as hard as I could.

His mouth went from my lips to my neck to my collarbone.

"Oh, Sky," I groaned.

He placed my feet back on the ground and within three seconds my shirt was off. The second the cloth was over my head, Sky pressed his lips against mine. I began to lift his shirt off, my nails digging into his back. He moaned against my lips and helped me to get his shirt completely off. He threw it in the corner where mine was now lying.

We were now in the house. Sky had somehow opened the door while still managing to keep his hands on me. That was a talent of his that I was starting to like.

"Oh my God," I whispered as he rubbed his hand gently down my spine.

I felt him grin but his smile immediately vanished when I swept my hand across the contours of his chest.

He lifted me into his arms again, and I curled my arms around his neck. I threw my head back and gave out a huge laugh. "Why do we torture ourselves like this?" I cried out.

Sky chuckled lightly, but then pressed his lips against my exposed neck. I giggled and pushed his head back. "Don't do that! I'm ticklish!"

"Sorry," he whispered.

"It's okay."

We stood there in the dark, breathing heavily. I could see my pulse thudding against my chest. "You always make it so hard for me to breathe," I admitted.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I have that effect."

I lightly slapped his cheek. "Shut up."

"You know I'm just kidding." He rested his head against my chest, and I was almost nervous that he could hear my heart beat. "And you know that you do the same for me."

"Really, Sky?"

He grabbed my chin, which allowed him to stare right into my eyes. "Yes, really."

I never felt so alive in all my life, being in Sky's arms. Right at that moment, I felt whole, like he had a way of keeping me together. The reality of what was happening suddenly hit me, and tears suddenly sprung to my eyes.

"Corie."

His tone was gentle now, and I knew the teasing had stopped.

"It's nothing," I said, brushing at the corner of my eyes.

"Babe, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Corie…"

"It's just…" And I realized I had no words. Sure, the guilt was part of it; I felt terrible that I was taking him away from this heavenly place, but at the same time, I knew that there was no life without Sky in it. I couldn't tell him what I was feeling, because even I didn't know what I was feeling.

" 'It's just' what?"

I looked at his round eyes and his freckled face. How could I have something this beautiful love me as much as I loved him?

"It's just that I love you so much." My voice broke off, and another tear dropped down my cheek.

Sky pushed my hair back and steadied my face between his hands. He was giving me an authoritative look, almost menacing. "I love you too. It hurts how much I love you."

"I know," I said.

"Then what's the matter?"

I was in his arms, holding him as tight as I could. And he was waiting for the moment. I knew I couldn't bring it up right then.

Our lips were touching again, and I could feel his hesitation in the kiss. When we parted, he opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.

"Don't." He closed his mouth but his eyes still held bewilderment. I kissed him on the cheek. "We'll talk about it after."

And with that, he tossed me onto the couch, following quickly afterwards. It only took a minute for us to get all of our clothes off, and we finally were able to do what we had been planning to do for the past two days.

* * *

"Wow."

"Yeah."

I was lying across Sky's chest, my heart racing rapidly. Every part of my body was on fire, but it was a delightful feeling. I ran my fingers through my hair, combing the sweat out of every strand. My legs were tingling as they entwined with Sky's. He sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead. I could see the beads of sweat dripping down the bridge of his nose and I grinned in satisfaction.

"That was a workout," I mumbled as I lightly kissed his collarbone.

"Yeah," was all Sky managed to get out.

I laughed and looked up at his face. "You okay?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah…I just need a moment. That last one wore me out."

I giggled and laid my head back down on my chest. "I understand."

We lay there for a moment in complete silence. The forest was the only noise we heard: crickets chirping their night lullaby, the wind ratting the leaves of the trees, and the toads of a nearby pond croaking in harmony. I closed my eyes and let Sky's heartbeat join the natural sounds. I let it all soak in: the noises, the smell, and the touch of Sky's hand trailing my bare back. It felt wonderful, too wonderful. I couldn't think of a moment where I had ever felt this free. And I wasn't self-conscious that Sky and I were completely naked in the open. I felt like I was fully clothed, more comfortable than I had ever felt.

After a couple minutes, I noticed Sky's heartbeat began to slow down. I looked up at him, biting my lip to hide my grin.

He noticed my movement and tilted his head towards me. "What?" he whispered.

"Wanna have another go?"

His eyes widened. "Another go?!" he cried out.

I laughed out loud. "I'm kidding!"

He sighed in relief and let his head fall on the pillow. "I thought you were serious for a moment. I was about to say, 'Haven't you noticed I'm nearly having a heart attack?'"

"Well, sorry you can't handle it."

He lightly slapped my back. "Sorry you've become a sex addict. Are you going to be like this when we go to America?"

At that, the smile left my face. I fell quiet.

"Corie?" Sky asked, his voice suddenly lined with concern. "What's wrong?"

I sighed. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about, Sky. You know…before, when I said we should discuss something."

"All right, go ahead."

I didn't know how to phrase it. It seemed as if the words were stuck in my throat. I knew that whatever I asked, Sky would say what I wanted to hear. If that was a good or bad thing, I wasn't quite sure.

"Corie, come on. If you're still upset about the man at the restaurant, we can talk about it."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I guess that's part of it."

" 'Part of it?'"

Tilting my head, I was able to look in his ever-glowing eyes. I wanted to find courage there, the strength to say what I wanted to say, but I just felt more vulnerable as his gaze met mine.

Like a child watching a horror movie, I squeezed my eyes shut.

Sky laughed.

"What is the matter with you? You're acting like we just met or something."

"Well, haven't we?" I whispered.

Sky's hand froze on my back. His tone was no longer light. "Corie, tell me what's the matter. You've been acting weird all day. I thought we wanted this last day in Neverland to be special."

"I do…I do," I said quickly.

"Then what is it?"

"It's just--." And I suddenly knew what to say. I saw his expression at the restaurant; I saw his tears when the Lost Boys presented their gift; I still felt his pain as he watched Peter's speech.

"Everything will be different," I said slowly, emphasizing each word. "I know that you already know that, but I am so scared the change will make you want something else. How can I be sure that you'll always be happy? How can I make you love me until the day one of us dies? What if something wrong happens? What if you can never fit in?"

"Corie—."

"No, let me finish.

"I want you to be happy forever. That is all I ever want for you. And you're happy here, and it scares me to think that maybe I won't be able to make you happy. Today at the restaurant…it scared me. I don't know what happened, but it was like something inside me went off like sirens. I got this feeling; I don't quite know how to explain it, but I felt like it was a warning or something.

"You love it here; it's what you're used to. I feel like I'm being selfish taking you away from your home. Why should _I _be the one to choose where we go? Why can't I stay here with you?"

Sky interrupted me at that. "You know what you can't stay here."

"Why?" I exclaimed.

"Because you have a family! You have sisters, two parents, who absolutely adore you. How would you ever be able to leave them?! And I see your face whenever you tell me stories about your best friends. You love them to death; you wouldn't be able to get through everyday knowing that they're there supporting you. You have all that!

"Me? I have nobody! Absolutely nobody! I go through everyday wishing, hoping, and dreaming about the family that I will never know. That is the difference between you and me. If I had anyone to go to, you think I would stay here? Hell no! I have no reason to leave, because nobody loves me out there.

"I'm not about to tear you away from your family, Corie. Not for one second. If I had to choose living and knowing you're unhappy and dying, knowing you're happy, I would much rather choose death. Because your family needs you…they need you, and you know that."

"Doesn't your family need you?" I asked quietly, gently scratching his chest. "What about them?"

"I just told you--."

"I don't mean them, Sky. I mean the Lost Boys: Nibbs, Tootles, Slightly…Peter."

He was quiet. I was scared for a moment that he was mad, but when I looked up at him, his face had a torn expression. My heart immediately jumped.

"I'm sorry," I said, burying my face against the hollow of his neck. "I shouldn't have said anything."

It took only a couple seconds for him to start rubbing my back again. My heart rate decelerated as his touch left tingles against my skin.

"They understand, Corie. They know I want to go with you."

"…they do?"

"Yes."

I paused.

"—and Peter…"

"Peter has been like this once before: torn about leaving a woman he loved. I could see how much it hurt him to make a decision: either staying in Neverland, never to grow old with the woman he loved, or going with her, but never able to see his precious homeland again. He chose the other path…staying in Neverland." Sky looked right at me. "Even today, I can see the pain in his eyes whenever anyone says the name Wendy. I don't _ever_ want to have that pain."

"But what about Ali? He has her now."

"Peter loves Ali, don't get me wrong. But…Wendy to Peter was like what you are to me. It's a love that only comes around once. Everyone could see it. The way he looked at her, the way he talked about her, it was like she was an angel from heaven. I had never seen him like that. He would do anything for her, except the one thing that really mattered."

"And what was that?"

"Grow up."

We were silent for a couple minutes, letting the night air rush though the door and envelop our naked bodies. My heart was beating fast against Sky's.

"And Corie?"

"Yeah."

"I'm ready to grow up now."


	27. Our Love is Here to Stay

Our Love is Here to Stay

The decision was made. I knew it in my heart. There was no going back now, even if there was any desire to resist it. And the desire was taking up most of my mind, but I tried to ignore it as best as I could. I was weak, weak from my love with Sky, but I had to let the old courage that lay within me to flare up once more. It was going to take a lot of strength, but I had made the decision a long time ago, self-consciously.

Sky and I talked for another hour after we made love, but I didn't hear a word he said. I occasionally put some input into the conversation, but other than that, I did not know the words Sky was speaking.

Instead, my mind was elsewhere. I was replaying every memory I had shared with Sky, from the moment we met to the moment that was now occurring at present time. I thought about every laugh, every tear, every touch, every kiss, and it took everything inside me not to let a tear drop on his bare chest. I closed my eyes and remembered the feeling I had had when I had first saw him. He was so beautiful, it almost made me sick.

After what seemed like five minutes, Sky finally touched my chin and asked, "You want to sleep for a little bit? Just for an hour or so, and then we can go to the hideout."

I had been waiting for this. For this question. I wanted to refuse, say, "No! Don't go to sleep!" but I knew that this was the only chance I had.

"Yes," I whispered. "Let's go to sleep."

"Okay."

He stroked my back, and I swallowed the pain down. Slowly I lifted my head so I could look up at his face. It was a mistake; tears immediately filled my eyes. I quickly bowed my head down and rested it against his chest again. Luckily, he didn't notice.

"I love you," he said simply.

A sob broke through my throat.

Sky laughed. "Was that a hiccup?"

I faked a chuckle. "Yeah, sorry." He laughed again. "I meant to say…" I took a deep breath. "I meant to say I love you too." I bit my lip, ignoring how my voice broke on the last word.

Sky situated himself so that he was more propped up on the pillows of the couch. I kept my eyes shut tight so that nothing would be revealed as he did so. My heart was beating fast, and my hands felt cold against Sky's flesh. I hoped he wouldn't notice.

"You comfortable?" he asked.

"Yes."

"All right, good."

And with that, he took a deep breath, put his hand on the back of my head, and whispered, "Good night."

I kissed his chest, taking in his taste, scent, and touch. "Good night."

I looked at my watch as Sky's breaths got deeper and heavier. He fell asleep after about ten minutes. That wasn't enough though; I had to wait a bit longer. I decided twenty minutes was enough and spent the next ten minutes in complete agony.

It hurt very much for him to hold me so tightly, but at the same time, it wasn't enough. Slowly, so as not to wake him, I would snuggle deeper into his arms every so often. His body was morphed against my shape, as if we were two puzzle pieces. Every move I made, he was there to fill the empty space. But there was nothing to do about my empty heart.

When it got to 11:25, I thought about my plan for the next five minutes. I knew what to do, but just the act of actually doing it seemed impossible. What would Peter do? He would tell Sky, and I would not even be able to get away in time. Ali would resist me, even try to pull my back, but I had to be strong. No matter what, I had to get out of Neverland without Sky.

Every word Sky had said had pointed towards him going with me, but in my heart, I knew that it was not what he wanted. The evidence was there: his fear of the unknown, the fight with the man in the restaurant, his attachment to Peter and the Lost Boys, and his ultimate broken heart of the family he had never known.

I had always hated those movies where the couple couldn't be together because of some stupid dilemma where the girl's family was too rich, or the guy had to continue his obsession with art, so on and so forth.

But now, I slightly understood them.

They just wanted each other to be happy, and that want exceeded their desire to be with them. I had never known I could feel that before, but I felt it when I looked at Sky. He wouldn't be happy in the real world. Not only would he struggle with the wars, the politics, and the work place, but also he could not take seeing me with my family, knowing he would never have that special bond with his. It would bring him too much pain.

Tears hadn't come yet; I was almost surprised by that. But I felt empty, my heart felt vacant. Sky's arms were around me, but I felt as if someone had injected me with Novocain. I was numb, immune to the warmth Sky held in his touch. Every couple seconds, he would sigh and nuzzle his nose against my shoulder, but I ignored it. Looking at him would only make it harder for me to leave.

I looked at my watch and saw that I only had one minute.

I let myself enjoy it.

Knowing that this was going to be the last time in Sky's arms, I let it all soak in. I was never going to hear his heart beat again, never going to run my hands through his shaggy hair, never going to hear his deep voice again. I closed my eyes and rested my head on his chest. My fingers trailed across his stomach and my lips kissed every part of him I could reach. It wasn't enough. I wanted to wake him up, somehow hint towards me leaving, but I knew I wasn't going to do it.

I only had thirty seconds, so I allowed flashes of our memories to come to mind.

_They tend to do that a lot," Sky said, walking towards me. He was much taller than me and I had to crane my neck to look up at him. He got close to me and said, "I get to ask the first question."_

_"Why can't you leave? Why don't you go back and do all that you wish to do?"_

_"Because Neverland is my home now. I could never go back, even if I wanted to."_

_He smiled and suddenly reached down to give me a hug. His embrace was long and warm and he parted with me after a couple seconds. We looked at each other for a minute_.

_Suddenly, I didn't care if it mattered whether or not it was the right time. I grabbed Sky around the shoulders and kissed him as hard as I could._

_"You leaving breaks my heart each time," he whispered, staring into my eyes._

_"Don't say that," I said quietly._

_"But seeing you brightens my day, Corie."_

_I smiled at him and he kissed my forehead. We stood there again for a minute, he leaning against me and me being held in his arms. He then whispered to me, "What am I going to do when you leave altogether?"_

_ Finally, Sky gently grabbed my hand and looked me in the face. "It kills me that you're leaving, because I…I…" He took a deep breath, his chest rising against his shirt. "Because I love you."_

_Chills ran across every surface of my body, and I felt tears rise to my eyes. I tightened my grip on Sky's hand, and a feeling rose up inside me that I have never felt before: I felt the need to be in the grasp of this man; I felt every passionate desire as I stared into the face of Sky; I suddenly knew what I was feeling._

_"I love you, too," I whispered, a tear falling from my eye. Sky slowly smiled, but I continued to talk. "I've known it all along, since I first saw you." As I said the words, I knew they were true._

_"Me too," Sky said._

_ Suddenly, all serious fight had left us and only desire for one another remained. I heard Sky's sword fall to the ground, and I turned around waiting for his embrace._

_His arms wrapped around me, and the force of his kiss blew me away. There was heavy breathing, roaming hands, and beating hearts. My sword had long been forgotten and was lying on the ground beside us._

_ "Come back to me, Corie. Forgive me. I love you._

_Love always, Sky."_

_ That was when a certain look crossed his features. It almost looked like regret. "I love you, Corie. And you love me. I know that." He sighed, looking down at his feet. I noticed that he was still holding onto me. I feared that if he let go, he would fall to the ground. Finally, his eyes reached mine, and I felt my heart skip a beat. "Don't make me your only hope, Corie."_

It was time to go. I had gathered every bit of strength within me for this moment.

Slowly, and carefully, I pulled Sky's arm off of me. I choked down a sob, and a tear fell down my cheek. I waited with bated breath as I slid out of his grasp. He only groaned, turned over, and was now facing the other direction.

I stood up; it was almost impossible from my shaking knees. I felt like I was about to faint. I secretly hoped I was, so then I wouldn't have to leave. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I wiped the tears off my face.

As quietly as I could, I walked around the couch to get to my clothes. Putting them on was like erasing Sky off of me. I was surprised he hadn't woken from my heavy breathing. It was all I could do to keep myself from breaking down. It took only a minute to get all my clothes back on. They felt foreign against my skin. I looked in envy at Sky's naked frame on the couch, wishing I could be back in his arms. I couldn't though; I had made my decision long ago.

Now what was I supposed to do? Just leave? That didn't seem possible now that it was time to. I felt like a little kid going to school for the first time. Sky was my comfort and I now looked at my home as the unknown. What was I doing? I was breaking both of our hearts.

_"But you know it's what he wants."_

I cursed at my self-conscious and bit my lip as another tear fell down the bridge of my nose.

An idea suddenly formed in my mind. My head swiveled around, trying to look for Sky's jeans. My eyes spotted them in a black pile near the end of the couch. I shoved my hands into the pockets.

"He has so much shit in here," I whispered to myself.

And it was true; I was surprised by how much his pockets could fit. I found leaves, yo-yos, rocks, a boomerang, a pocketknife, and finally, what I had been searching for.

Sky's notebook that I saw him writing in now and then. Attached to the front cover was a small pen. I took them out of his jean pocket and walked towards the coffee table in front of the couch.

I checked that he was still asleep. His stomach was slowly rising with each breath and his slight snore echoed in the back of this throat.

Quickly, I ripped a blank page out of the notebook. Sky grunted, but his eyes remained closed. A sigh of relief escaped my mouth. I took the pen and pressed it against the lines of the paper.

I knew exactly what to say:

_"I'm sorry. I know this is what is right. Don't come after me; don't have Peter contact me. I love you forever. I wish I could change our fates, but they have been written for us ever since I was born and ever since you fell out of your pram. We're destined to be apart, so let it happen. These ten days have been the best of my life. Know that you will always be a part of me. I love you, Sky._

_Corie."_

A tear fell on the last "love" and it slightly blurred through the thin paper. I stared at it for a second, letting it seep onto the table. It didn't hit any other word, strangely enough. The ink ran to the bottom of the paper and I lightly pressed my finger against it. I raised my finger right before my eyes and stared at the black ink. For unexplained reasons, I pressed it to my lips. I closed my eyes and three or four more tears fell down my cheeks.

_"It's time to stop crying."_

Taking a deep breath, I placed the letter at the edge of the table, so that it would be the first thing he would see. He would most likely look around for me first, but eventually, he would look for answers.

I stood up and looked down at Sky.

He looked so innocent: his shaggy hair was plastered to the side of his face; his dark eyelashes grazed the light freckles of his cheeks; his hands were curled up underneath his chin; and his soft grunting was the only noise in the room.

This was the last time I was going to see him.

I wanted to reach out and touch his tan skin, but I knew I shouldn't risk it. The desire was almost sickening, but I had to stick to the plan.

I made sure I had everything, took one last look at Sky, and walked to the doorframe.

My face was covered in tears, but I ignored them. They felt numb against my skin. I turned my head, but I couldn't see Sky from this position. Maybe that was a good thing.

"I love you forever," I whispered.

The phrase was heard by no one but me and quickly stolen away by the other night sounds outside. I turned back around and walked out of the tree house.

I had planned on flying back to the hideout, but since there was no happy thought in my head, I had to climb down the ladder to the soft ground below and start walking.

My love was gone. I had left him forever. I had had the best love in the world, and now I was giving it up.

I was walking through the woods, in the dark, broken and alone.

As I got closer to the clearing, I saw only two figures standing there. It was Peter and Ali, holding hands, facing the direction I was coming from. I must have looked like a ghost walking out of those woods, pale and spectral. The first thing I thought when I saw them was where the Lost Boys were, but other than that, Sky was the only thing in my mind.

I took the last steps out of the woods and walked my way directly in front of Ali and Peter. Both of them were looking at me curiously, their brows furrowed. I knew what they were going to say; I had also prepared myself for this.

I dared them to talk, staring at them blankly through my dark bangs.

"Corie," Ali started.

"Yes?" My voice was hoarse. I was surprised to hear how…dead I sounded.

"Corie." This time Peter said it, and he said it much more forcefully than Ali.

My eyes went to his face.

It was almost comical how confused they were. They kept looking behind me, expecting Sky to come out into the clearing any second. But he wasn't there. In my heart, I knew that he was still asleep.

"Corie," Ali tried again, "where's Sky?"

"Where are the Lost Boys?" I asked, completely ignoring her question.

They gave each other a significant glance, but Peter was the first to turn his gaze back to me. "They're all asleep. Ali and I have been waiting here for an hour."

"Well I'm here now."

Ali slipped her hand out of Peter's and walked slowly towards me. I flinched back like she was a dangerous predator. She stopped suddenly. "Corie," she whispered. "What's going on?"

Tears welled up in my eyes and I looked down at my feet so as to avoid her stare. If I even said his name, the pain would be overwhelming. I could feel that they were looking at each other, completely alarmed by my state.

"Corie," Ali tried again. "Where's Sky?"

I sighed, exhaling out all of the sobs that were soon to come. I had to be strong to do this, otherwise they would force me to go back to the tree house to get him. Slowly, I lifted my head and looked right at her. She looked scared of me, and I was curious how vacant my expression must have been.

"He's not coming." It came out in a whisper, because that was all the strength I had left within me. Ali gasped. When I said the words, Peter ran forward and grabbed my hands.

"What do you mean he's not coming? You guys have been talking about this for days; _we _have been talking about this for days! He has to go!"

"He's not coming."

Ali ran towards me as well. "Corie, what happened? Did you get in a fight? If so, you have to get over it. We're leaving right now!

"Which is what I want," I said with the most force I could muster. "I want to leave right now."

Ali let go of my arm and shook her head. "I don't understand."

"You don't have to!" I cried out. "We have to go now!"

"But," Peter said, "you can't just leave without saying goodbye! What about the Lost Boys? What about everything you said?"

"It's over! It has to end. You have to take us back, Peter!"

"Corie!" Ali screamed. "You're acting crazy! You were _heartbroken_ when Sky said he wasn't coming! And now you're fine with him not going with us? What the hell happened with you?"

"I realized it's not meant to be. Sky's supposed to be here."

"Sky's supposed to be with you," Peter interjected.

"I know," I said quietly, looking into his eyes, "but I'm not supposed to be with him."

They were quiet for a couple seconds, wringing their hands, looking over my shoulder, expecting to see Sky coming any second.

"I'm going to go get him." Peter said it more to Ali than to me. My heart dropped.

"No," I pleaded, grabbing his hand. "Peter…no. Please don't get him."

"You're acting insane, Corie. He wants to go with you."

"No…no, he doesn't."

"Yes he does. We've talked about it."

"He lied!" I moaned. "I know he has told you a lot, that he wants to come with me, and maybe he meant it. But he just doesn't know yet. He doesn't know that he is not meant to come with me."

"What does that even mean?" Ali asked.

That was when I looked right at her and did all I could to have her on my side. "Ali, when you love someone, don't you want all the right things for him?" Her eyes immediately became soft. "Don't you want them to always be happy, even if that means you can't be with them?" I continued. "You would do anything to know that they're right where they belong, even if it breaks your heart knowing that you can't experience every moment with them. You feel selfish wanting to have them with you always, so you give all you can to provide them with what they deserve."

When I saw the look on her face, I knew she understood what I meant. She had, in fact, seen Sky in our world, had seen the look on his face, and had seen how fearful he was of the people there, and she knew it was not where he belonged. Yes, Sky belonged with me in every sense of the word, but if it meant being where I was from, it could never be.

A small tear brimmed over and fell down Ali's cheek. I sighed and nodded at her.

We stood there for a second in silence, and then Ali finally looked away from me. Instead, she turned her gaze on Peter. "We have to go," she said quietly. I almost didn't hear it, her voice was so weak.

Peter's eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"I said we have to go."

"Ali," Peter said, grabbing her shoulders, "what are you talking about? This is Sky and Corie! He'll never understand this decision."

"I know." I was surprised by how calm she sounded. "…which is why we have to go now. He'll wake up any second."

Peter shook his head in disbelief.

I realized then that Ali was shaking with sobs. Tears were falling down her cheeks freely now. "Which is why…" she shuddered, "we'll fly back by ourselves."

"By ourselves?" I repeated.

"Yes," she said, glancing at me. "If Sky knows Peter took us back, he'll never forgive him for letting you leave."

I stared at her tears and shaking hands. "Ali," I said gently, "he never has to know."

"But he will," she said firmly. "I don't want Sky to be mad at Peter. He'll always blame him for letting you go, Corie." Ali turned towards Peter. "You know that, too. He's your best friend; he expects you to always be on your side." She took a deep breath. "And I have to be on Corie's side."

They stared at each other, and I felt like I was intruding. I looked away, letting the wind run through my hair and across my tear-stained cheeks. The night air of Neverland always felt so liberating; it made me feel like a child again. I would never feel this feeling of pure joy again, and the thought of that made my heart break. I also thought about never seeing the Lost Boys again. They loved me almost like I was their sister, and in a way, I felt like one to them. I knew I had no time to go say goodbye to them, let alone kiss their sleeping heads, and that was when I turned to Peter.

"Tell the Lost Boys I love them."

It was a note of finality. Peter knew we were leaving. He looked down at his feet and then back up at us.

"You really don't think this is a mistake?"

"No. I wish I could say it was."

"You know how to get back?"

"Yes, I remember," I said.

"Okay, then." Peter was defeated, and I ached for him. I came towards him.

"Thank you, Peter," I whispered. He stared at me. "You gave me everything I could ever ask for. You brought us to this place. If it weren't for you--." My voice broke.

"I know," he said, with a slight smile. "And thank you for coming with me."

I couldn't smile; I tried, but it felt more like a grimace. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me on the cheek. "Don't give up on love," he breathed into my ear. "I did once, and I never felt so broken. Now look at me."

We parted, and I stared at his shining face. I knew my stare was blank, so I nodded at him. Tears were on his cheeks, and I was surprised that I had none. Instead, I felt numb. It was like every tear inside me was dried up the second I had stepped out of the tree house.

When Peter turned to Ali, I quickly spoke up. "I'll be by the beach."

They heard me, but didn't acknowledge me. When their eyes fell on each other, Ali gave out a sob and threw herself into Peter's arms. I turned away, feeling like I was going to vomit. But once I got far enough away so as not to hear their voices, a couple deep breaths made me feel better.

As I walked to the beach, I soaked in all of Neverland. It was really hard to believe it had only been ten days ago that my feet had first touched here. I took in the smells of the rich earth, the cherry blossoms, and the sea salt that lingered in the air. Closing my eyes, I could hear every sound of the island: the night owls that hid in the trees, the crickets that lay among the tall grass, and the shaking of the leaves high above me. I brushed my hands across every branch I passed and the weeds and flowers that were sprinkled throughout on the forest ground tickled my feet.

It was then that I reached the beach. I knew Ali would find me here, so I waited for her in silence. So many memories here. It was hard to believe that I would never bury my toes in this sand again. The waves crashed against the scattered boulders, and I watched the reflection of the moon shimmer against the black water.

A memory suddenly flooded my vision.

The day after Sky and I had first slept together. We had come to the beach and had only swum fifteen minutes before we had to do what we had done the previous night. From the caves, he flew me up in the air above all of Neverland to watch the trees sway in the wind.

_We gazed at each other for a full minute, feeling the never ceasing beat of his heart. I grabbed his hand and put it against my chest. We could both feel the fast racing of __my__ heart. "Every time I see you," I told him._

_His hand slid from my chest, up to my collarbone, and then rested on my neck. It didn't seem possible, but my heart sped up when his fingers lightly grazed my skin._

_"You're my everything," he said._

About ten minutes later, I heard Ali shuffling through the woods. She stepped onto the beach, her eyes red and puffy. I automatically walked towards her and wrapped my arms around her.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Me too."

We stayed in the embrace for about three minutes, before Ali separated and slipped her hand into mine.

"Let's go."

And with that, we rose into the air. To this day, I do not know how we did it, because neither of us had a single happy thought in our mind as we flew away from our second home: the island of Neverland.


	28. Skinny Love

Skinny Love

The morning light hit my eyelids and I immediately woke from my light sleep. I was buried beneath my blankets but the sun was somehow able to find the perfect sliver between my blinds to get me out of bed.

A yawn and stretch overcame me and I threw my limbs out as far as they could reach. Looking around my room, I could tell that it was a nice summer day outside. Every corner was illuminated and the yellow paint on my wall was brighter than it had ever been before.

Suddenly, the sliding door to my bathroom slid open, and my sister, Maggie, was standing before me. She smiled.

"I thought I heard you get up."

I just nodded at her and continued to stretch.

My bed creaked under her weight as Maggie sat at the edge of my mattress, staring down at me.

I looked back at her.

"What?" I finally asked.

She shrugged her shoulders, that smile still plastered on her face.

"Nothing."

"You're looking at me like I'm crazy."

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are, Maggie. What do you want?"

"It's just," she stammered, "it's just—this is the first time you've gotten up before one in the afternoon in a long time."

I thought the morning had felt different.

My brow furrowed and I turned my head to the alarm clock that sat at the opposite side of my room. I squinted my eyes to see the time, but Maggie interrupted me.

"It's 9:30."

I snapped my head towards her.

"What?"

She nodded, smiling again. "It's 9:30."

I thought about that. I couldn't remember the last time I had gotten up this early out of choice. During the school year, of course, I had to wake up around seven, but the second I would get home, I would sleep for hours upon hours. I would have been nervous for my grades junior year if I had not stayed in most weekend nights. That is when I did most of my work. I had gotten all A's junior and senior year of high school and was on a schedule of sleeping in until ridiculous hours during my last summer home.

Maggie sighed. "Mom's going to be happy to see you up. She'll probably cook you a lumberjack meal."

I snickered. "Yeah, that's what she does everyday for lunch and dinner."

"That's because you've lost about 15 pounds over the course of two years." Her tone was no longer loving, but strict and careful. I knew this was coming, and I was really not in the mood to hear it.

"Maggie," I said, "listen, I'm going to shower now, so do you think you could leave the room?"

She stared at me with her big, blue eyes. Those eyes of hers had carefully watched me for a long time now. I was happy when she left for college my junior year, just to get rid of her never-ending glance.

I turned away from her and looked at my windows and how they captured the light of the sun with their blinds.

Maggie sighed and I heard a catch in her throat. When I looked over, I saw that she had tears in her eyes.

"Maggie…"

"I miss you," she whispered. "You're so different, different than the sarcastic, lively Corie that I used to love and know so well."

"I'm the same Corie."

"You say that…and you even try to fake it, but I can see through it. Katie and I can tell that something is up with you."

"Nothing is up with me!" I cried out.

"We're your sisters; you really think you can hide stuff from us that easily?"

I groaned and turned away from her again. Suddenly, I felt exhausted. If I closed my eyes, I knew I would sleep for another four hours. I always felt this tired; it was a daily problem that I could never overcome.

Maggie touched my arm and her voice was gentle. "It's like—ever since you came back from England-."

I threw her hand off me. "Just leave me alone, Maggie!" I screamed at her. "Can't you see I don't want to talk to you? It's okay for _you_ to be mopey and sleep in until the late afternoon, but the second _I _start acting like this, it's a huge problem! You have always had this weird fear of opening up to people and now you're telling me that _I'm _acting different? God! You are such a hypocrite!"

Her eyes were wide in shock, her mouth gaping. "Corie, I'm not trying to make you mad!"

"Well, you're failing miserably then."

"I'm just concerned for you. If you can't even open up to your friends and family right now, how is DePaul going to treat you next year?"

"I can take care of myself! I've been doing it for a long time."

At that, I flipped over onto the opposite side so as not to see those eyes of hers any longer.

Maggie sat there for another minute or so, and I could tell she was crying. I wanted to flip back over and apologize for all the harsh things I had said, but I knew I wasn't going to. I had lost my ability to comfort a long time ago.

Finally, the sliding door to our bathroom opened and closed, and I was alone again.

I immediately felt a wave of guilt crash over my body. Maggie did just want to help me; I knew that. She and Katie were more than my sisters; they were my best friends. They knew me better than anyone else on the planet did, but I didn't have the strength to tell them what had happened in England.

Sometimes I wondered why Neverland seemed like yesterday. It had been two years, and yet, I remembered every detail of the trip. I cursed myself for letting me think about it; it hurt each time I did. But sometimes, memories just popped into my head involuntarily, and it was hard to ignore them.

Sometimes I minded, sometimes I didn't.

Memories with Ali always made me smile. She and I would hang out every week, because she was the only one who truly understood what I was going through. My pain was reflected in her eyes whenever we were together. I knew that she was hurting over Peter, and it wasn't even a question that I was in pain over Sky. I liked thinking of the times with her in Neverland, because we seemed like completely different people back then. That was Corie and Ali in the past, and we were broken together in the present.

Recently, however, Ali and I had had a talk about our guys in Neverland.

We were sitting in Ali's living room, watching the television, an Oreo box lying in between us. There had been no talking for about an hour, and then Ali suddenly cleared her throat.

"I think I'm getting over him."

My mind turned over, trying to keep up with her words. It was rare for us to talk about Sky and Peter, so my mouth gaped open in surprise when she said this. I turned towards her and stared.

"Peter?" I asked. "You're getting over him."

Ali wasn't looking at me; her eyes were on the television screen. However, I knew she couldn't see a thing that was happening.

She nodded. When she spoke, her voice seemed emotionless, almost like she had rehearsed this conversation. She said, "It's time for me to forget about him. It's been two years, Corie. I'm never going to see him again, and I need to accept that."

My heart clenched. "Yeah, but -."

Her eyes were on me. "I can't allow myself to form this perfect world in my head anymore. I kept telling myself for the longest time, 'You'll see him again. You can go to England and see him again.' But I have to stop that. It's never going to happen, and both you and I know that."

I didn't want to hear this, because I knew what she was getting at. She wasn't just telling herself to stop hoping, but there was no use for her warning. I had long ago accepted that I would never see Sky again.

"Corie," she said in a whisper.

When I looked at her, I saw that tears were in her eyes. My hand balled into a fist against my leg, and I swallowed down the sob in my throat.

"What?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

She shook her head slowly at me, her long, dark hair sweeping over her shoulder. "You have to let go of him, Corie."

I immediately turned my head back to the screen. For distraction, I put another Oreo in my mouth and chewed loudly. I didn't want to hear this; I had already gotten this lecture from most of my friends and family. Even if they didn't know what my situation was, they all knew that I was holding on tightly to something in my past. All of them tried to unclench my fingers, but it was no use. Everyday, I held onto the thought of Sky. He was with me everywhere: in my dreams, at school, in my house, my thoughts, and my emotions. I couldn't get rid of him, no matter how hard I tried.

"Corie," Ali repeated.

I looked at her out of the corner of my eye. "What?"

"You have to let go of Sky. You know this."

I huffed angrily. "Don't start."

"Don't push me out. You always do this. Whenever I talk about him, you automatically turn away from me."

"That's because I don't want to talk about it."

"Will you ever?"

That made me think. I tried to think far into the future, far beyond college and/or graduate school. Even then, would the thought of Sky cause me to physically hurt? When my heart clenched, I knew the answer.

Ali touched my arm. It took everything within me not to shove it off.

"Corie," she said gently, "I'm just saying this because I care about you."

I finally looked at her. Her eyes were wide and still filled with tears. Part of me wanted to jump up and leave, but another part of me wanted to lay my head in her lap and cry. I hadn't had a proper cry since Neverland. Even at graduation, when all my friends hugged me, their tears dropping on my gown, I wasn't even choked up.

"Ali," I whispered. My voice was shaking, and I didn't know how to stop it.

She nodded at me. "Yes?"

I looked deep into her eyes, wanting her to know the pain I felt. She looked hopeful, encouraging me to tell her my deepest emotions. I knew that she wanted me to cry on her shoulder, even if I was there for three hours.

I took a deep breath. "I should go."

"Corie!"

The second I walked into the kitchen, my mom sprang up from the table. My eyes were squinted from the bright light illuminating every corner of the room. At this time of day, the sun was strangely dazzling. I was used to seeing it in the early afternoon.

"Morning, Ma," I said in the happiest voice I could muster.

She basically ran towards me. "What are you doing up so early? Do you feel sick? Do you have cramps? If so, I just bought some-."

"Mom," I interrupted. "I'm fine."

She took a step back from me, her expression still puzzled. "Then, what's up? Why are you up this early? It's only 10."

I shrugged my shoulders and walked towards the pantry. "Just cause."

" 'Just cause?'"

"Yep! Just cause."

I opened the door of the pantry and walked inside to grab some cereal. The shadow of my mother's silhouette was right beside me.

"Cereal?"

I froze. "Yes…?"

"Well, how about I make you some eggs?"

I grabbed a box of "Cinnamon Toast Crunch." "That's okay, Ma," I said, turning the light to the pantry off. My mother was blocking the exit.

"Come on, Corie, I'll make you some eggs…with bacon!" she said, gleaming.

"Mom, it's really okay. I just want some cereal."

"Do you want coffee with it?"

"No."

"Orange juice?"

"No! I just want you to move out of the way, please."

My mom shuffled out of the way but continued to follow me as I made my way to the fridge.

"You sure you're feeling okay?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I?"

She fell silent at that. I took the milk out of the fridge and then turned to her. Her stance was awkward, and she was rubbing her hands together as if to warm them up.

"I'm nervous about you, Corie," she said quietly, looking right at me.

My heart clenched at that. It was one thing for Maggie to be upset over me; it was an entirely new wave of guilt that my mom was upset over me.

I poured the cereal and milk into the bowl and did all I could to not look into my mother's eyes. She and I had always been close, so it was hard to keep my emotions from her. It was as if she could read my mind. She always knew when I was upset and always willing to let me cry on her shoulder if necessary. However, I couldn't do that anymore. I was empty; all my tears had dried up. Sometimes I wish I could run to my mom and cry to her, but I felt hollow. It scared me how emotionless I was at times.

After putting the milk back in the fridge, I walked around the opposite side of the counter from my mom to get to the drawer of silverware. I forced a chuckle. "Mom, you have nothing to be nervous about. I'm a teenager; teenagers sleep in."

"You know that's not all I'm concerned about."

_"Don't look at her, Corie_," my self-conscious warned me.

And I listened.

I grabbed a spoon from the drawer, plopped it into my bowl of cereal, and walked to the kitchen table. My mom was still standing by the counter, so I found it safe to sit down and enjoy my breakfast.

The second I touched the chair, my mother walked to the table and sat down beside me.

"_Oh no_."

"Corie, look at me."

I couldn't even escape from that. Slowly, I lifted my head from my cereal and looked into my mother's eyes.

Staring at her, I could feel all the pain that I had caused her. I thought I was doing a good job of pretending to be happy and conversational, but I guess my mom had seen right through my façade. I should have known. My family knew me better than anyone else. It seemed foolish to me now that I thought I could get away with being an emotionless hermit.

My mom placed her hand on top of mine. Out of reflex, I shot out of her grip. The sense of touch was strange to me now, ever since I realized I could never touch the one person I wanted to ever again.

"What is wrong with you?" my mom cried out. Her tone surprised me, and I jumped in my chair. She was suddenly standing, glaring down at me. "Why can't you let me touch you anymore? You used to let me hold you. We would watch television together on the couch, and I would run my hands through your hair. What happened to those days?"

My cheeks were burning, and I still could not muster the courage to look at my mother. I deserved this; I knew that. However, hearing the words on her tongue were the truest things I had heard in a while, and it physically hurt to hear them.

"Mom, I—"

"I miss you! And I try everyday to bring my old daughter back, but she's gone! I feel like I don't know you anymore. No matter how hard I try to get a glimpse of the old Corie, it seems like you push me farther and farther away." Without warning, she burst into tears and buried her head into her hands. Her cries echoed through the kitchen and hit every part of me.

I stared at her and her angry tears, and for the first time in a long time, I felt something: sadness. My mother was sobbing, letting out her pent up anger…all because of me. She had been there for me for the two years of sullenness and depression, and I was never grateful for it. I resented it, and now I was watching my mother cry like a baby before me. I almost felt sick. Suddenly, something wet hit my cheek.

It seemed as if time stopped. I could no longer hear my mother's cries, and the kitchen disappeared. I touched my cheek and lifted my finger before my eyes.

A tear.

I gasped.

The last time I had cried was two years ago, standing in the tree house of Peter and Sky. Ever since then, I was empty. It seemed as if those tears had dried me out for the rest of my life. But here I was, crying before my mother for the first time in a long time.

That tear was what broke the dam.

I was suddenly crying like I had never cried before. I was letting go of everything. I was following Ali's advice. I couldn't put my mother through this pain anymore. My mother was not the only one; all my friends, my sisters, even strangers felt uncomfortable around me. I was a foreigner to them. They didn't know me anymore. Through my tears, I was letting go of my bound to Sky. It was time. Seeing my mom cry made me realize that I had to stop being so selfish. I knew I was never going to see Sky again; I had told myself that in Neverland. However, it wasn't until that moment I apprehended that I was, not fine with the realization, but in good health with the realization. I had to stop being depressed. I was a lively person before, but now people looked at me as the emo girl.

The tears were now drowning my face. I couldn't even see my mom anymore. It didn't matter; I was suddenly aware I didn't need to hold on to the thought of Sky anymore. I had chosen to come here for a reason, and it was time for me to actually believe in that reason. I couldn't live without my family, but I had pushed them away the second I got back. For me to get over my broken heart, the only remedy would be the comfort of my friends and family.

Unexpectedly, my mother grabbed my hands. I could not see her, but she was before me, holding me tight. She scooped me up from the table and stood me before her.

"Corie," she whispered. Gently, she wiped the tears from my face. Although she was still foggy, I could see the weak smile on her face. "You're back."

I stared at her for a second, and then a sob erupted from me. I threw my arms around her neck. "I'm so sorry!" I cried out, shaking against her. "I'm so sorry!"

"Shhhhh," she breathed into my ear. "Everything's okay now."

"I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know…I know."

For the next ten minutes, my mother and I stood in the kitchen, arms wrapped around each other. And for the first time in a long time, I felt whole. I felt like myself as I sobbed out every tear left in my body. It was strange that I had to see my mother hit rock bottom before I could finally understand that it was time to move on from Sky. I knew it the second her head hit her hands.

As I stood there, I did something that I had never let myself do before: I pictured him in my mind. I had not done this since Neverland, and I had an inner promise to myself to never imagine his face again. It would hurt too much.

But the second I closed my eyes and saw his face, I knew that it was the right thing to do. My heart immediately relaxed and I rested my head against my mother's shoulder.

I had memorized Sky's face before I left, so it was almost as if I was staring at a picture of him. His shaggy, sun streaked hair that somehow always managed to look perfectly windswept, the dark, blazing eyes that seemed to stare right into my soul, his freckly, dark tanned cheeks, his quirky, sideways smile that had the ability to make me melt. Seeing all this was making my heart clench, but at the same time, I felt happy to imagine him. I could suddenly see all of him. His ridiculously tall form, the awkward stance he took when he was nervous, the position he would get in to put his arms around me, the way he threw his head back when he laughed. It was all there in my mind. I could hear his deep, hoarse voice; I could hear his cheerful laugh that was contagious to everyone around him.

More tears slid onto my mother's shoulder, but I knew they were tears of joy now. I had been in the darkness for so long, refusing to even think about Sky. But here I was, thinking of him, feeling blissful and smiling from ear to ear. I now understood what it meant to let go of someone. The last two years, I thought I had completely let go of Sky, but I had actually done the opposite. I had refused to move on from him. I let my tie to him take over my life and the relationships within it. And, when I truly thought about it, Sky would have wanted me to cut the bind between us.

Sure, he wanted me above all things, but he loved me, which meant he wanted me to be happy. When someone loves another, that person just wants everything for him or her, even it means hurting themselves. I finally understood that once Sky told me he loved me. It was if I turned into an adult right at that moment. And I found that ironic. Neverland was supposed to be a place to stay young forever, but those ten days with Sky allowed me to learn more than I had ever learned before. I felt wiser as I flew from the soil for the last time.

My mom and I stood there for a couple more minutes, my tears finally drying up. She lightly pushed me from her so she could stare at my face. A smile touched her lips. "You are so beautiful, Corie."

I giggled and wiped my face. "I'm surprised you can say that, looking at me right now."

"You are," she said in all seriousness. "Don't you ever forget that."

I smiled at her. "Thanks, Mom," I whispered.

She bent towards me and kissed me on the cheek. "Now, since your cereal is all soggy-."

We both looked at the table and saw the forgotten cereal. I cracked a laugh, and she rubbed my arm.

"I'll make you some eggs," she said.

I smiled. "All right. Thanks."

I sat back down at the table as Maggie walked into the kitchen. Guilt rose up in my chest as I saw her cheeks were splotchy and red. She quickly wiped her eyes and gave me a small smile. She looked away from me, but I could tell she had been away for so long to try to make her tear marks go away. "Hey, mom," she announced, her voice hoarse.

My mother looked up from the pan she was putting eggs on. "Morning, babe. You want some eggs?"

"Uh, sure!"

"Maggie," I suddenly said.

She looked at me in surprise. "Yeah?"

I paused for a second, thinking of all the times I had hurt her in the past two years. What could I say to make her forgive me? Was there anything to be said that could erase all the pain I had caused her? Did I have too much pride to apologize?

Maggie stared at me, waiting, looking anxious to hear what I had to say.

I took a deep breath. "Do you want to get lunch later?"

My mother and she looked at me, both with different looks. My mom had a look of complete satisfaction, while Maggie looked at me in complete astonishment. There was a moment of silence as she thought of what to say. It was clear that this was not what she had expected me to say.

"Um…" she stuttered. "Lunch? I mean-I think that I could…I think that's…yes," she finally answered. She said it as a question.

I beamed at her. "Great. And then afterwards, you could help me college shop."

Maggie looked at my mother for answers, but she was just smiling down in the pan, flipping the eggs over. Maggie looked back at me. "I guess I could shower while Mom's making breakfast," she said quietly.

I nodded. "And then I'll go after we eat."

"Okay…okay," Maggie said in a brighter voice. And as she left the kitchen, I saw that she had a genuinely happy look on her face. It was still of surprise, but her smile looked unfeigned.

For the next couple days, Maggie and I reformed the bond that had been broken for so long. I called our other sister Katie to apologize for not talking to her in months. She told me about her work in New York City, and she asked me how my life was going. When I was talking to my sisters, I realized that I really did need them to help me move on from Sky. Sometimes, when Maggie and I would be together, she would look at me wonderingly, probably asking herself what had changed me. And sometimes, I asked myself that.

I was becoming myself again: the fun Corie, the one that could make all her friends laugh for hours and hours. It was great seeing all them again. They had seemed hesitant when I called them up, asking to hang out, but it was if nothing had happened the minute we were together.

And even thought I was happy with the new me, every so often, I would have a dream where Sky would be in it. It made my heart clench to see him, but different than it was before. It didn't hurt anymore. I was pleased to see him there. And as the memories got more and more fuzzy as the months of summer passed, his face still remained flawless in my mind.


	29. Give Me Just One Night

_Thank you so much for being great fans! You are all so patient and give me great feedback on the chapters. There are very little chapters left. __ I can't believe it's almost over! Enjoy!_

"Ms. Porter, Ms. Porter!"

I almost didn't hear the cries of little Jimmy over the clicking of my high-heeled shoes against the linoleum floor. Immediately, I stopped and turned around, swinging my bag of files down from my shoulder.

Jimmy was one of my favorite students, and most adorable. He looked like a cartoon character with his striped shirts and cute, little khaki pants. His bright blonde hair was bouncing on top of his head as his little legs ran towards me down the hall. A smile spread across my face and I crouched down to reach his height as he got to where I was standing.

"Ms. Porter, my mommy wanted me to give you a congratulations card," he said, breathing heavily.

I gave him a playful glare. "Jimmy, you said you would practice."

He rolled his eyes. "Do I hafta?"

I laughed. "Of course you do!"

Jimmy sighed but lifted up his hands. And slowly, but surely, he said the sentence over again in complete sign language. I watched carefully for any mistakes and made sure to guide his hands. Once he was finished, he beamed at me, and I smiled back at his toothless grin.

"You're getting much better, Jimmy," I reassured him.

He scuffed his foot. "Aw, but the rest of the class is a lot better than me."

"That's because they need to know it more than you. You still have some time before—." He stared up at me. "You know…before—you have to know it."

"Yeah," he said. And with that he twisted the knobs on his hearing pieces up a notch so as to hear me better. "I guess you're right."

"I _know_ I'm right," I teased, gently poking me in the chest.

He smiled again.

"Well, I should go, Jimmy. And so should you! Your mother's going to be here soon!"

He put his hands to his head. "You're right! I have to get my backpack."

I laughed. "I'll wait for you right here while you go get it."

He signed "Thank you" to me in sign language and then ran back down the hallway.

_"Poor Jimmy_," I thought to myself. _"He doesn't even understand what's happening to him_."

But I did.

Jimmy's mother had told me at the beginning of the year that an infection was taking over Jimmy's hearing. It started when he was born, and it begun to spread to his ears. The doctors informed Jimmy's mother that he would need hearing aids for the beginning years of his life, but by the time he was six, he would be permanently deaf. Hearing aids would not be able to help that.

At that, I looked down at the card Jimmy had given me. It was hand-made by him, clearly, and I smiled down at the picture.

It was of a scribbled bride and groom, standing before the altar, hand-in-hand. The hands were boxes with little lines coming out of them, representing their fingers. The bride was wearing a white dress with purple scribbles across it, her dark, brown hair in curls on top of her head. The groom was comically taller than the bride, his suit much too short for him, which happened to match the purple of the bride's dress. Jimmy had randomly drawn flowers throughout his picture.

I opened the card and on the inside Jimmy had written, "Congrats on your engagement, Ms. Porter! Love, Jimmy!"

As I closed the card, Jimmy came running back to me from my classroom. "Okay, I'm ready!" he cried out.

"Okay!"

And he grabbed my hand as we walked out the front entrance of the school together.

I was sitting in the coffee shop, my head in my sign language book. I had been fluent in sign language for three years, but every so often, I liked going back to the intermediate level to remind myself of certain words.

After DePaul, I had gone to New York to get my Master's Degree in teaching. I went to school for two years, got my degree, and then applied to various schools for the deaf in New York to get a job.

I was truly blessed when I got the job at a school for grades kindergarten to sixth grade that was only a couple blocks from my apartment. I loved my job; I never got sick of it. The kids were what kept me going every day and I loved every single one of them. It was hard not to feel terrible for them, but at the same time, all of them were so strong and willing to learn all that they could. It had been two years since I was first hired.

"Corie!"

I looked up from my book.

"Mike!"

I stood up and held my arms out for my fiancée.

His short brownish red hair glowed in the sunlight of the restaurant. Dressed still in his work clothes, his tall, skinny frame was enough to make my heart stir. Without looking at anyone around him, he scooped me up into his arms and kissed me firmly on the lips.

After we parted, he stared me in the face, and I lightly touched the freckles on his cheeks. "Hi, babe," I whispered.

"Hi, beautiful." He kissed me once more and then set me on the ground.

"You're late," I chastised him jokingly as we took our seats in the armchairs.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay. And you're the most punctual person ever?"

I scoffed. "Excuse me? I am never late!"

"Bullshit!"

We both started laughing. "I can't believe I'm marrying you. You are the biggest ass in the world."

"Come on," Mike said, "that's why you love me."

I rolled my eyes. "Exactly. That's how you swept me off my feet two years ago."

"The best day of your life was when you met me at that bar. Don't even try to deny it."

I laughed, but I got quiet very quickly. A flash of a memory crossed my mind, and I tried my hardest to ignore it.

"You okay?" Mike asked, the smile still on his face.

A flash of swaying trees in the wind. A whisper: "This is the best day of my life."

"Corie?"

I looked up and saw that Mike was no longer smiling.

"What?" I nervously chuckled.

"Are you okay? You got all spacey there for a second."

I shook my head, as if to get the memory out of my head. More importantly, I did not want it to go any further, in case I saw a specific face.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just keep thinking of the wedding."

Mike laughed again, and I felt immediately better. "Corie, I told you. You don't have to stress so much over it. Maggie said she's got it all covered."

"I know!" I protested. "But I feel like two months is not enough to get it all done."

"Okay, what else do you have to get done?"

I held up my hand to count off. "Menus, table cards, table _assignments_, gift bags, printed directions, toasts-."

"All right, so maybe that _is_ a lot, but like I said, Maggie has got it all covered." He leaned back in his chair. "Come on, Corie, you told me yourself that the maid of honor is responsible for almost everything."

"I know," I sighed, "but I just like making sure that everything is accounted for."

He reached across the table to grab my hand. "That's because you're a perfectionist." He squeezed my fingers. "And I love that about you, but you really have to calm down. Everything's going to be okay. I promise."

And as I looked into his eyes, I knew that he was right. I always over thought everything, and that was a really big problem of mine. Two months was a long time, and I was positive that my sister was going to get everything finished in advance.

I heaved a sigh and leaned back in my chair in relief. "You're right," I breathed. "You're always right."

"I know." He grinned at me.

I looked around the shop and observed the different couples there. All of them seemed ordinary, holding hands, chatting quietly. I wondered what Mike and I looked like to everyone else. I suddenly realized that I didn't want people to call us "ordinary." I wanted to be an "extraordinary" couple.

I suddenly leaned across the table and kissed him hard on the lips. I grabbed the back of his head and pulled him closer to me. He responded to my kiss, but after ten seconds, he began to laugh.

"Corie…Corie," he said, lightly pushing me. "What the hell are you doing? People are looking at us."

"Well let them look." I pushed my lips against his again.

He laughed as he pushed me off again. "What's gotten into you? Let's at least wait until we get home, huh?"

I glanced around us and saw that there were a lot of people looking. I still didn't care, but when I looked back at Mike, I could tell he would not keep kissing me no matter how hard I tried.

"Sorry," I whispered, leaning back in my chair. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You're nervous for the wedding," Mike said. "I can see it in your eyes everyday. Your mind is always lingering around it."

"That's not true," I said quickly. "How can you tell?"

"I just can. Even when you said yes to my proposal, you had that look in your eyes. You always put doubt before everything, Corie. Well, listen to me." He leaned across the table and took my hand. "You have nothing to doubt anymore. You are going to be my wife, and I am going to be yours for the rest of your life. You love me, and I love you. Just remember that, and you have nothing to worry about. Okay?"

I smiled at him, which seemed like enough for he sat back in his chair, but my mind flashed back to when Mike had proposed to me.

"Is it me or do you always want to take walks in the rain?" Mike asked me.

I giggled, pulling his arm closer to me so as to have more cover from the umbrella. "You're hogging this!"

He scoffed. "Well, sorry! Geez, Ms. Bossy!"

Giggling again, my heels clicked against the wet sidewalks of New York City. It was a strangely quiet night for the city. There were not many cars out and very few people passing by us. I looked at my watch and realized that it was dinnertime. Many families were indoors, sitting at their dining tables, eating cozily among hushed conversations. The thought made me smile, and I held on tighter to Mike's arm. The rain was fairly light, but both of us could hear the rumble of thunder in the distance.

"If you want, we can go back to my apartment soon, Mike," I said hesitantly. I always loved being caught in storms. Not too many people knew that.

Mike said, "There's somewhere I want to go first." And with that he steered me sharply to the left along a darker path.

"Central Park?" I asked, realizing where we were headed. "I thought you said Central Park was overrated."

"Ehhhh, sometimes. But tonight there's something special happening."

My heart buzzed with excitement. "A concert?"

"Nah, not a concert."

"Then…what? What could possibly be happening tonight in a rainstorm? Is a movie set up?"

"Nope."

"Mike!"

He laughed. "Just wait! Dammit, you're impatient."

So I stayed silent as we walked through the twisted paths of the park. I knew right away that we were going towards the main lawn because I had always loved walking through that way. Mike never wanted to go with me.

"I don't want to be another one of the 25 million visitors that walk through here. There's nothing special about it," he had always said.

But I disagreed.

The way the park changed with every season was exquisitely beautiful. It was like it was its own personal wonderland. It gave me the chance to see the trees, which had always been my favorite thing in nature. I loved seeing their bright, vivid colors in the fall, to their supportive branches sparkling with icicles in winter, to the budding flowers in spring, to the lush, green leaves in summer time.

As Mike and I walked along the path, I glanced up at the trees that acted as a shelter for us from the heavy rain. Leaves were just starting to sprout from the buds on the branches. Every so often, soft petals would flutter down from the wind of the storm. I stared at one pink petal in particular as it landed near my foot.

A flash of a memory had crossed my mind.

His hand was on my knee. Petals were falling around us. His hand was on my face. He whispered for the first time, "I love you."

"Corie."

"What?"

I looked at Mike and saw that he had stopped. "We're here," he said cheerfully.

Looking at our surroundings, I saw that he had taken me to the middle of the central lawn. It was absolutely beautiful. I felt like we were the only two people in the city at that moment. The rain was pounding on the umbrella but sounded soft on the trees in the distance. I glanced at the buildings over the trees and felt warmth at the bright lights glaring on the windows.

I voluntarily shook the memory of the petals out of my head and looked directly into Mike's face. "This is perfect," I whispered.

His face lit up, and he grabbed my hand. "Kind of like you."

He was looking down at our clasped hands, and I immediately noticed his nerves. "Mike," I said, "what's wrong?"

Slowly, he lifted his head, as if he was regretting the decision. But when I looked into his eyes, I could see the true confirmation that he really loved me. My heart skipped a beat.

"I have to tell you something," he breathed. I almost didn't hear him over the rain.

My heart rate increased. "Okay."

"You know I am so in love with you," he said in a rush. "I love you more than anything in the world. I have told you countless times that you're the only girl I have ever felt this way with."

I was holding tightly to his hand now.

He continued. "I know we joke around a lot, but I'm serious when I say I want to be with you for the rest of my life. We've dated for so long, you're my best friend, my friends and family love you, I never get bored of being with you, and I can honestly say that I will love you as long as I am alive."

I let out a sob, and my eyes started watering. "Mike," I whispered.

He nodded at me, his eyes wide. "I love you, Corie. I always will."

"I love you, too."

He nudged the umbrella towards me. "Hold this for a second."

I grabbed onto the end, feeling anticipation.

With that, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the ring. It wasn't even in a case. That was Mike's way though. He always had a dramatic effect with everything he did. He wanted me to see the ring right away, so I could have no time to react. And just as quickly, he was down on one knee.

"The only thing that could make me happy is you telling me that you want to spend the rest of your life with me," Mike said. His eyes were watering now, but were still nothing compared to how hard I was crying. I could barely see him kneeling before me through all of my tears.

"Please marry me, Corie," he whispered.

"Yes!" I cried out instantly. I did not have to think about it for more than a second. "Yes, of course I'll marry you."

He flew up from his knees and had me in his arms in a second. The umbrella flew from my hands, and the rain was pouring freely onto us, soaking almost every inch of our skin. He spun me around and around, and I was laughing and crying at the same time. His laughter mingled with mine, and he held onto me as tight as he could.

And then it happened. And it only happened for a second.

I was sixteen again. And I was being spun like I was in present time. But it was a completely different person. He was taller than Mike and broader in the shoulders. His hair was much longer and had sunny streaks in it.

It was Sky.

And as much as I wanted to eject him from the happy moment occurring between Mike and me, I couldn't. He was there, holding me as if he was truly spinning me in his arms. The laughter continued, but it was for a different reason. It was because I was back in Neverland, in the arms of the boy I would always love. I had no idea what he looked like now; I didn't even know if he was dead or alive. However, it was as if I had never left him. He was holding me and loving me as much as I loved him.

When the second with Sky was over, I continued to laugh and smile, but I felt strange. I still felt as if his touch was lingering on my skin, and I could still hear his husky laugh in my head. And I still felt years younger.

I immediately told myself it was because of Mike. Mike was the reason I was acting so giddy. The illusion simply happened from a random memory in Neverland. It was really no big deal.

However, I never told any of my best friends what had happened when Mike spun me. I told my family and friends of the proposal and how perfect it had been, but my hidden memory with Sky would always be my little secret.

After Mike and I had left the coffee shop, he went back to his office to grab some documents. He promised to meet me back at the apartment in an hour, so I took that time to walk through the park.

It was around dusk; it was still light out, but the glow of the sun seemed to only remain on the leaves of the trees and the reflections of the city windows. Everything else that surrounded me seemed dark and nightly.

The memory of the proposal was still loitering around in my head. I only thought about it when the nerves of the wedding truly got to me.

I loved Mike, I really did. He was honestly perfect for me, and I could see myself with him for the rest of my life. Everything about him made me smile, and I liked whom I was when I was around him.

But the memory of one boy remained in my head since the day I had left him.

Sky was in my everyday thoughts, especially when Mike and I were together. I wanted to hate it, but I loved seeing his face in my mind. I loved knowing that I would never forget the almond shape of his eyes, the freckles sprinkled on his nose, the look he had when he told me he loved me. I figured I loved seeing him in my mind so much because I would never physically see him again.

My heart clenched, and I tried to think of something else:

The wedding.

I still had so much to do. I knew Mike was still preparing for his miniscule duties, such as his speech and his possible vows. We still hadn't decided whether or not we were going to repeat the words of the priest or write our own vows. We had some more time to pick, but I had been contemplating which one to choose for a while.

I came across a bench and sat down. The wedding was really getting to me. Maggie and I had planned on meeting soon to get more things done, but that was not all I was nervous about.

What if…what _if_…what if this is a mistake? Can Mike tell when I'm thinking of Sky? Is it clear that my heart belongs to someone else? I really loved Mike, that was no doubt, but I loved someone just as much as him somewhere else, if not more…

My thoughts were stirring, buzzing around in my mind, that I hardly noticed the moon was beginning to shine brightly down on me. I had been sitting on the bench for hours and hadn't even realized it. When a mosquito landed on my leg, I jumped and swatted at it.

"Oh!" I gasped. "What time is it?"

I looked at my watch and saw it was 9:00. I was supposed to be back at our apartment to meet Mike at 7:30.

I sprung up from the bench and began to walk out of the park. Mike never got upset when I was late, nor ever called me to see where I was, so there was no point looking at my phone to check.

There were few people walking on the path now, but I could feel someone very close behind me. Chills popped up on the back of my neck. I knew that he wouldn't attack me in front of other people, but how far would he follow me for?

_"Corie, you're overreacting. He's just going on a walk too. Just like you!"_

I wanted to listen to my self-conscious, but it seemed strange that I hadn't seen the man until I began walking. However, I made sure not to turn around, in case that showed my fears.

The click of his shoes matched the click of mine, and he cleared his throat every so often. I picked up the pace slightly but not too much. I wasn't too panicked yet. I thought about calling Mike, but if I got my phone out, the man might think I was calling for help. That might spark him to make a quick move on me.

So the two of us kept walking through the park, one heart beating much quicker than the other's.

I looked ahead and saw the bright light of the street ahead. Once I was there, the man could make no move. There were cars passing by at every second, and many more people were walking on the sidewalk. I would be safe once I was out on the street.

It was as if the man could hear my thoughts because I then heard him quicken his pace. My heart gave a huge spasm, and the alarm that took over me was tremendous. It almost sounded as if he were running.

I didn't care about looking strange anymore; I, too, began to run. The street was about fifty feet away. If I just kept running as fast as I could, the man would have no way of attacking me. However, I was carrying a large purse and high heels. How was I supposed to get away?

It took about five seconds for his running to outmatch mine, and he grabbed onto my arm.

As I let out a cry, the man flung me around and caught onto my shoulders. In my panic, I did all I could to fight him off. I flailed my arms at him, tried to scratch his face, kicked at every part of him, but it was no use; he was holding onto me with the tightest grip.

"Help! Help!" I screamed out, and he quickly put his hand over my mouth.

I finally looked at the man's face, the one who was sure to attack me any second, and my heart stopped.

It was as if everything around me disappeared. My eyes were glued to the face of my stalker. His round, bright eyes were gazing down at me in disbelief. His shaggy, blonde hair was ruffled from the struggle. His freckled face was tan and beautiful. I noticed then that I was craning my neck to look up at him; he was much taller than Mike. But what shocked me most while staring at him was the look of familiarity he had on his face. It was as if he couldn't believe whom he was holding in his arms, and it was the same for me. This had to be a dream—I had had too many of these. But his touch felt so real. Memories of all of our embraces came rushing into my mind. I couldn't think, and I for sure couldn't breathe properly.

His one hand went from his shoulder to my face. He pressed his hand against my cheek, and I automatically leaned against his warmth.

A vivid memory. My last night with the love of my life. Tears were pouring down my face, my heart was broken.

_"I love you forever," I whispered._

_The phrase was heard by no one but me and quickly stolen away by the other night sounds outside. I turned back around and walked out of the tree house._

I was drawn back to the present time where this well-known stranger was holding me as tightly as he could. It seemed as if he were afraid I would leave him—once again.

Sky finally opened his mouth. "Corie?" he said in a hoarse voice.

I couldn't say anything. My mouth was trembling—my entire _body_ was trembling. I still wasn't fully aware of what was happening.

Suddenly, Sky reached into the pockets of his worn jean and took out a slip of paper. The minute my eyes fell on it, I knew what it was:

The letter I had written for him as I left the tree house. Amazingly enough, my teardrops were still visible as they stained my handwriting. I could feel the same heartbreak I had felt when I had written that note.

Without warning, my world went black. The last thing I remembered was Sky's arms around me, catching me from hitting the cement.


	30. Breathe Again

Breathe Again

It had been a wonderful dream, one of the most realistic ones I had ever had. While lying in my bed, I still felt Sky's touch. I could still see his perfect face, beautifully vivid in my mind's eye. I could still feel the absolute free feeling I had had when he had said my name. The way he touched me, the way he looked at me—it was as if we had never been apart for several years. We were kids again, basking in the glory of our summer love.

_"I wish I could fall back asleep,"_ I thought to myself. But it was no use. I was up now. It was time to face the day, another day of questioning my engagement to Mike. However, I found myself excited to see him. I really did love him; he was my best friend. It was just all too confusing. It seemed as if one part of me was meant for Sky and another part of me was meant for Mike. My heart belonged to two men.

_"How much more can I handle?"_

Stretching my arms above my head, I felt a slight ache in my neck. Suddenly, I realized how uncomfortable I was everywhere else on my body. I was cold, in pain, and stiff. I realized then that I wasn't in my bed; I was on hard cement.

It all came rushing back to me.

My eyes shot open and I was back to where I was before: the park.

"Sky!" I cried out as my body swung up from the ground. For a quick second, I thought he had left me.

But he was there, kneeling beside me, holding the back of my head. Apparently I had fainted and Sky had caught me just in time. I hadn't been dreaming; it had really happened. Sky was right next to me, looking just as he had nine years ago. I stared at him in shock and I felt my body grow numb.

"Are you okay?" he whispered. His voice was like music. The British accent was as heavy as ever and just as delicate. I had forgotten how truly striking his eyes were as he stared straight at me. I nodded slowly and my hand went to the back of my head. He frowned.

"You fell so fast; I tried to catch you, but your head slightly hit the pavement."

I still couldn't say anything.

Sky was looking at me as if I were crazy. He was still holding onto me, and that was the only thing I was focusing on—that and his gaze.

I could tell he wasn't sure what to say either. How was he going to explain why he was here? How did he find me? Why did it take him so long? Did he know about what was going on in my life? Did he know about Mike?

Suddenly, I didn't care. Sky was here…Sky. The love of my life. I had dreamed about this for so long. I thought that I would never see him again, and here he was—holding onto me!

Hesitantly, I moved my hand off the pavement and brought it slowly towards Sky's face. He looked at it as it approached him, and for the first time, a smile spread across his face. My smile—the crooked smile. A slight grin reached my lips and I finally rested my hand against his cheek.

It felt as if my body were on fire. Every part of me was shaking; I could feel the tears in my eyes. This wasn't a dream; this was real. I was holding Sky. He was right in front of me. I didn't care anymore about everything else involved in my life; this was all that mattered.

He brought his hand up and rested it against my hand. The tears in my eyes were mirrored against his. Every memory that we had shared together—the first time we met, our first kiss, when we admitted our love to each other, making love for the first time, Sky's decision to come to the real world with me—it was running through both of our minds. I could see in his eyes that he was thinking of the same things I was thinking of.

I leaned forward and curled myself into his arms. And as always, his arms fit perfectly around my frame. I sighed in relief as he brought his hand up and stroked my hair. I hadn't realized I was crying until I felt the wetness of my tears against Sky's shoulders. He was crying as well; I could tell from the shaking of his shoulders.

Instantly, I realized I never wanted this to end. Sky holding me was all I needed to be happy. He was the love of my life—he always had been. He knew me better than anyone; he knew what was right and wrong for me; he knew my good qualities, and he knew my bad ones. I could always count on him to be there for me.

We didn't speak for a while. The two of sat on the cement together, holding each other as if it were the last time. I hoped he was praying it wouldn't be because my body clinged to him as if he were my life support. I knew that there was so much to talk about, so many questions, but I never wanted Sky to let me go again.

Every minute that went by seemed like an hour because I began memorizing Sky all over. He was different, but only slightly. His boyish features were now harder, more defined than they were in Neverland. His jaw line was broader, but when he smiled, his face was still just as soft as it had been when I was sixteen. His eyes were narrower, and they almost seemed darker than they were before. It might have been the few lights surrounding us, but I could have sworn his light eyes had changed significantly. His nose was bumpier; he probably had broken it a few more times in Neverland, but it was still perfect to me. The long, shaggy hair that had first caught my eye at sixteen was still long, but definitely not as disheveled as it had been before. Even though he looked different, much older, he was still the beautiful boy that I had fallen in love with years ago.

And I was still in love with him. After all these years apart, I found that I was amazed of how much love I felt for this man. I always knew that one part of me would love him forever, but I thought that was just the child in me. But, as an adult, I was literally attached to Sky, as I had never been before. His touch had always felt good, but had I always trembled this much at it? Looking into his eyes had always made me smile, but had it always had the ability to make me tear up? I loved Sky more than anything in the world. Without him, there really was nothing else to look forward to.

As if Sky could read my mind, he lightened his grip on me and slightly pushed me away to look at me. Without hesitation, he asked, "Why, Corie? Why did you leave?"

This was all that needed to be asked to kill the mood. I knew it was going to be brought up, but I wanted the moment to last longer. I didn't want to fight; I just wanted Sky to know that I made a mistake, and would he please hold me a little longer?

My head slightly bowed, but Sky grabbed my chin and lifted it up to force my gaze. My heart leapt.

"Corie," Sky whispered, "why?"

What could I say to this? _I _didn't even know the answer. Being here with Sky now was all that made sense to me. Why did I ever want to leave him? I couldn't leave him with no answer, so I said the first thing that came to my mind:

"Because it was what you wanted."

Sky's brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth almost angrily. " 'What I wanted?' I _told_ you that I wanted to come with you, Corie!"

I shook my head. "But it wasn't what you truly wanted."

"Of course it was! Why would I te—."

"Sky," I interrupted firmly.

He looked at my face, and his features immediately softened. He sighed in defeat and looked down at our clasped hands. "Of course, I _hoped___that you would change your mind about leaving," he mumbled, "but I knew that you wouldn't."

"I was selfish," I whispered. Sky's head shot up. "I wanted everything here, in my world, but I couldn't imagine you not in it."

Sky leaned towards me. "Corie," he said, "that doesn't make you selfish! I had no right to believe that you would stay with me. I have nothing in Neverland; you have everything here! You have a family; you have your friends; you have your job, and you have-."

He paused, and my heart stopped. I looked up at him tentatively. His face was scrunched up, almost in pain.

He stroked the back of my hand as he whispered, "Do you love him?"

A tear slid down my cheek as I nodded silently.

Suddenly, his finger lightly traced my engagement ring. I felt sick with guilt. What was I doing to him?

"And you're going to marry him?"

"Yes." My answer came out choked.

Sky let go of my hands and stared me in the face. Everything about him was cold now, angry. I hated seeing him upset with me. I reached forward to make the moment last, but it was gone. I could tell he was trying to hide how mad he was, but he was having a hard time doing it.

"Sky…" I pleaded.

"Congratulations," he said, in a monotonous tone.

I leaned back from him, shocked at his sudden bitter demeanor. "Don't do this," I said slowly. "I haven't seen you for seven-."

"I know—seven years!" he unexpectedly yelled.

I jumped, but if he had noticed, he showed no reaction.

Instead, Sky bounded up from the sidewalk and began to pace in front of me, continuing to yell at me.

"It has been seven years, Corie! I haven't seen you in seven years! Do you want to know what I was doing for all those years?" he cried at me. "Do you?"

My heart was racing. I had never seen Sky this angry. I knew that this was all wrong; I wanted to go back to the embraces, the loving whispers, but Sky was standing before me like I was his enemy. "What?" I gasped.

"Asking myself _everyday_, 'Why? Why did she leave me? Was it something I said? Did I do anything wrong? Is she scared?' I went to every Lost Boy, asked them if you said anything to them. I pleaded to Peter for answers, but he had none." He suddenly stopped pacing and stared at me again. "He said you flew away with Ali without even saying goodbye." He shook his head at me, disbelief coloring his every feature. "How could you do that? I mean, not saying goodbye to me is one thing, but those Lost Boys—they loved you more than anyone in the world."

Tears were now pouring down my face. I wanted to go back to that night, erase every hurt feeling I had given those boys, but it was too late. It had already happened, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I wanted Sky to stop talking, just hold me again, but his rant continued like I knew it would.

"Something changed in me the night you left—something I can't quite explain. Everyone noticed it, especially Peter." Sky's voice was soft, but firm, like he wanted to get his point across to me. And it was working. Each word he said was a knife to the heart.

"I wasn't Sky anymore," he said, looking right at me. "I was a completely different person. I spent every day and every night trying to think of a reason why you would leave. I came up with some ridiculous ideas just to reassure myself that it wasn't anything I did that made you leave."

"It wasn't y-."

Sky held his hand up. I closed my mouth tightly.

"The Lost Boys tried to cheer me up, tried to get me to do things again, but it was no use. I just laid inside all day, trying to, unsuccessfully, not think about you. But it was impossible." His gaze seemed to deepen as he sustained his talk. I tried hard not to interrupt, but the tears streaming down my face seemed to distract Sky enough as it was.

Sky's eyes held so much pain as he got to this part of his story. I could tell he didn't want to share this with me, but he knew he had to. It seemed as if he had rehearsed this before, like he knew he would see me again some day.

When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper: "Corie, everyday I saw your light green eyes; I saw your freckles; I saw your sweeping bangs; I saw your smile; I saw your small hands in mine; I saw the look you gave me after I kissed you. I saw all these things whenever I closed my eyes. It made it hard for me to sleep."

I was silent, but inside, my head was pounding. Crying had always made my head hurt, but this time, it was almost reassuring to feel the pain. It made me feel better about causing Sky all of this grief.

"And I missed you—more than anything. I couldn't fly because whenever I thought about you, I would immediately sink to the ground. I couldn't conjure up any other happy thoughts," he looked at me, "because I had none.

"I wanted to be happy thinking about you, but then I would remember you weren't with me. It hurt to imagine you in my mind. I hated seeing the look you gave me when I would kiss you out of nowhere. Feeling your hand on mine when I'd make you laugh was forged in my mind. Pressing you against me in my dreams turned into a nightmare when I would wake up. All of these things would never be good again because I would never have you again."

We sat in silence for about a minute, staring at each other. Out of nowhere, Sky asked me, "Why are you crying?"

I was taken aback. "What?" I croaked.

"Why are you crying?"

"No, I heard what you said; I just can't believe you don't know why."

"Well then—why?"

I just shook my head at him. "Because I'm broken," I whispered.

That phrase brought a look of finality to Sky's face. He was done yelling at me—for now. He sat back down on the cement facing me, looking like I was about to literally fall apart. With a sigh, he picked up my hands, and a jolt of adrenaline shot through me.

"All right," he said, "your turn."

I looked intently at his face for a second, waiting for an explanation, but I got none.

"Sorry?" I asked.

"Your turn," he emphasized. "What do you want to say?"

I was still confused. "What—what do I want to…what do you mean?" I spluttered uselessly.

And with a stroke of his hand, Sky took away the rest of my tears. He let his hand linger for a few extra seconds on my cheek but took it away far too quickly.

"You know I hate making you cry." He almost sounded like he didn't want to admit it.

I shook my head—I seemed to be doing a lot of that. "It's not you; it's me. I'm the one who's making me cry."

Sky's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

I took a deep breath, trying to find any way to explain the inner, complicated, and supreme workings of Corie.

"I'm in love with two men, Sky," I breathed.

Sky's hands tightened on mine.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I can't help it," I continued. "I know that I hurt you—so much. I know that I put you through seven years of grief, and yet, I can't help but be happy to see you here. I can't help but feel…_whole_ again, now that you're touching me. I'm selfish," I admitted, looking down in my lap. "I know that I am, but I can't seem to find a reason why I'm acting the way I am. Maybe I'm crazy! I literally might be crazy!" My maniacal cackle that followed supported that thought.

The slightest smile touched Sky's lips. "You're not crazy," he muttered. I smiled back. "Well," he said, his pitch going up, "not any more crazy than you were seven years ago."

"Hey," I mumbled, "watch it."

Sky let out a laugh, the first time I had heard it in seven years. It was like hearing his voice for the first time; it was utterly beautiful. My heart rate accelerated, and I held onto his hand tighter, afraid to lose him all over again.

As if he could sense my desperation, he stopped laughing and gazed at my face. Without warning, he leaned forward and brushed my hair off of my face.

I smiled.

He didn't but said, "You're different."

This had me taken aback. "What do you mean?" I chuckled.

He shrugged his shoulders, his cheeks going red. "You look different. And you act different. I can tell."

"What do you mean?" I repeated, nudging closer to him.

"Just everything. Your face, your voice, your whole demeanor."

I laughed. "So are you," I said.

"Really?"

I nodded silently, and we smiled at each other. Sky was the first to look away.

"How am I different?" he asked, looking up at the trees.

I stared at his profile, thinking. I knew Sky so well; I could always tell when something was wrong, even if he said he was okay. My heart clenched when I realized Sky had not noticed how upset I was before I left Neverland for the last time. Trying to reassure myself, I thought I must be a better actor than him.

Sky was dwelling on my situation. He was trying to make the conversation light and casual, but I knew what he was really thinking about: Mike. Not only could I read it in his face, I caught him looking at my engagement ring every couple seconds. Every time he looked at it, it seemed as if he were seeing it for the first time. His eyes would widen, and he would lick his lips uneasily. Automatically, he would lean away from me, like the ring was a poisonous snake.

"You're taller," I finally said.

With that, Sky let out another laugh, much louder than the previous one. I joined in, staring at his profile. When he stopped, he turned his head back at me, a smile still on his face.

"You're just as funny," he said.

My heart jumped.

He scooted closer to me and seemed to be measuring our height. "Have you ever thought that you've gotten shorter?"

I hit his shoulder. "That's impossible."  
"Eh, you can't be sure. Do you drink a lot of coffee?"

I stared at him incredulously. "What does _that_ have to do with anything? You

know that's a myth, right?"

He snorted. "It's not a myth. I've been reading books Peter's got from here. I know what's going on in the world now."

"Oh, really?" I teased. "Who's the president?"

"Oprah," he said with no hesitation.

I began to laugh hysterically, ignoring the fact that it was pretty late, and I was being abnormally loud for a couple in the park at night. I covered my mouth so as to muffle the sound, but Sky pried my fingers away.

"Don't," he said softly. "I haven't heard it in forever."

Well of course I couldn't continue laughing after that. I gazed at Sky's face, taking in every one of his features. Desire flared inside me. I hadn't felt the longing to be with someone in so long. Sure, being with Mike was wonderful and passionate, but when I made love with Sky, it was as if every part of me was on fire. Just the two times I was with him, the pleasure I had felt was electrifying. And all the pent-up wanting I had felt for Sky over the years suddenly hit me. I needed to have him, right at that moment.

I grabbed his hand and put it against my lips. Slowly, I trailed my mouth over his skin, kissing, licking, and nibbling every inch. I felt him shudder, and I gradually raised my head to look him in the eyes.

"Kiss me, Sky," I breathed.

His eyes widened, but they weren't in surprise; they widened in gratification.

"Kiss me," I repeated.

With no pause, Sky reached forward and grabbed my shoulders. My heart was beating so hard; I thought I couldn't breathe for a second. But Sky paused as his face inched towards mine. He was taking in every tiny bit of me as he stared at my countenance. I wasn't sure what expression I was wearing, but it had to be one of slight alarm; I still had the feeling that I was having an asthma attack. If Sky kissed me, I would maybe have to push him away. My chest was heaving with each breath I took. _"Is this what a heart attack feels like?"_

But then, when Sky finally pressed his lips against mine, all worries and all the feelings of anxiety soared out of me.

As we kissed, I could feel teardrops streaming down my face. However, I didn't care; I let them fall. Every so often, within our kiss, Sky would gently wipe his hand across my cheek, catching all my dropping tears. And then, he would smile at me, close his eyes, and go back to kissing to me.

It was the most amazing feeling I had ever felt in my life. I had truly forgotten how incredible his kisses felt. And I had forgotten how matched our lips were.

We were so in sync when we kissed. I knew just when to open my mouth, where to slide my tongue, and when to let his lips completely devour mine.

Sky seemed reluctant in the beginning of the kiss, but now he was kissing with me with as much fervor as he could. I wanted him to kiss me harder, to pick me up and put his hands all over me, but sitting on the sidewalk, kissing Sky, and touching his face was good enough for me at the moment.

And every time we parted to look at each other, his expression would change: confusion, disinclination, content, sadness, happiness, and, my favorite, complete bliss. Sky would look at me as if I were an angel in disguise. I had missed the way I felt when I was with him; he was the only one who made me feel like I was beautiful.

I had missed his arms, his hair, his skin, his taste- his everything! - that I was able to have when I was in Neverland. The way he embraced me was like anything else; I felt like I couldn't get close enough to him. He had the ability to always warm me up, no matter how cold or uncomfortable I felt.

I really do not know how long that kiss was. When I look back on it, I sometimes think it was thirty seconds, or sometimes think it was thirty minutes. It really didn't matter though because we were both in that moment forever.

I was with my soul mate again—the love of my life—Sky. He was the man I was supposed to be with; I knew that all along.

As Sky continued to kiss me, I thought back on all the years of pain and confusion without him, but they seemed so far away now. Thinking back on them two days ago, they were vivid, and I could remember them perfectly. But as I had my arms around Sky, they were fuzzy and distant. I smiled at the thought and squeezed Sky harder.

Mike would appear every so often within the moment, but it was only because I felt so guilty. I loved Mike, but—it was Sky. It had always been him. Even when Mike proposed to me, I had envisioned Sky. I knew it was wrong to be doing this; my self-conscious was yelling at me that I was cheating on Mike, but I couldn't stop. Kissing Sky almost felt like breathing; it was literally impossible to stop. And when I thought about it more and more, I had always been slightly cheating on Mike. My heart had always been Sky's, always was Sky's, and always will be.

Too soon, it was always too soon, Sky parted from me. I smiled, but when I looked at his face, I saw that he looked detached.

My face fell slightly.

"Don't make that face," he said quickly. "I just feel guilty for doing this."

"Me too," I whispered. My chest felt tight with remorse. I couldn't believe this was happening. It was all too surreal.

Suddenly, a smile spread across Sky's face. "I feel like I'm going to wake up and realize that this was all a dream."

I rested my forehead against his and closed my eyes. "Me too."

We sat there for a second, letting the gentle breeze shake through our hair and chill our skin. It was a beautiful night, as it should have been. Any night with Sky was perfect, no matter the weather.

"I'm so confused," I finally admitted. Sky's eyes opened. I continued, "You know that I love you; I have always loved you. It's just all so confusing."

"No, I know," Sky said, nodding his head. "I don't blame you."

"Are you finally going to explain to me how you got here?"

Sky smiled. "Are you finally going to explain to me why you left?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I guess I could do that, but it's going to take a long time."

"So is _my _answer."

We both laughed.

I stopped laughing when I realized how long we had been in the park. Mike was probably worrying. He hadn't called yet, but he was most likely checking his watch and pacing the apartment.

Sky must have sensed my uneasiness because he parted from me. "You have to go to him, don't you?" he guessed.

I nodded slowly.

The lines around his mouth were tighter than usual. "Sky," I said. He looked at me. "I want to see you again though."

"You do?"  
"Of course."

My favorite smile spread across his face once again. "Well that could be arranged."

I laughed. "Good!"

Sky got up from the ground and held his hands out to me to hoist me up. With great strength, he lifted me off the ground and gathered me into his arms. I buried my head against the hollow of his neck and took a deep breath. I had missed his smell so much.

He casually ran his fingers through my hair and whispered against my cheek, "I don't want to leave you."

"Neither do I."

"But I know you have to talk to him."

I nodded and gulped down the worry in my throat.

"Meet me here tomorrow," Sky said.

I looked at his face, my heart lightening. "Okay."

"At noon?"

"Perfect."

And with many thoughts and worries in my head, I kissed him for the last time that night. It almost hurt to let go and walk away from him, but I knew that I would see him the next day. As I walked towards my apartment, I couldn't help but be nervous to see Mike.

_"What am I possibly going to say?"_

I didn't have much time to think over it because, in a short time, I was at our place, opening the door to my fiancé waiting on for me on the couch.


	31. Don't Let it End

Don't Let it End

The second Mike saw that it was me at the door, he sprang up from the couch and walked briskly towards me. I sighed and turned while I quietly closed the door.

"Are you okay?" he demanded, spinning me around. "I was just about to call you!"

My mind was still fuzzy as Mike grabbed onto my shoulders. He wanted answers, but I wasn't really sure what to say yet. I hadn't even prepared myself for this conversation.

"Yes, I'm fine, Mike. I really am," I said.

He hurried me to the sofa as if I had just fainted. Once we plopped down onto the cushions, I realized that there was a familiar purse sitting on the coffee table.

"Who's is that?" I asked, pointing at the purse.

Before he could answer, a girl's voice called from the bathroom, "She's here?"

Recognition and happiness suddenly overcame me when I realized whose purse it was that was lying on my coffee table.

My older sister walked out of our bathroom, and I stared in shock at her. There was no mistaking that blonde hair and that modelesque, tall frame. "Maggie?" I cried out.

She ran towards me and wrapped her arms tightly across my shoulders. I pushed her away to look at her face, completely taken aback by this surprise.

"What are you doing here?"

Maggie laughed and hugged me again. "To plan your wedding, lil sis. Duh!"

Mike laughed.

And it then it hit me. The joy I had felt when seeing my sister vanished as quickly as it had come. My plan was to come back to my apartment, tell Mike what was going on, and beg him to understand that I was in love with another man.

But how could I do it now? My sister was here, hyped up to be able to do her maid of honor duties. She had surprised me, hoping that I would be happy about it, but now I almost felt sick to my stomach.

"Maggie…" I started, my voice dull now.

Maggie ignored me and reached for her purse. She began digging through it, throwing things around as if they were pieces of trash. I only caught glimpses of them, but they were bright, fluffy, and frilly decorations. "I've already picked out dozens of things for you. Not only did I find the perfect invitations, but I also made an outline of the tables for the reception. You can look over it to see if you approve. Oh! I also tried on my dress; it fits perfectly, thank you! I called the other bridesmaids, and they said theirs fit as well. Katie says hers needs to be taken in, of course, but I can handle that. I know you said you wanted to make the gift bags, but I have to say I found some _adorable_ trinkets at TJ-Maxx the other day, so we'll look over those as well. Mom wanted me to tell you when the wedding shower was, but I actually forgot. I'll have to look that up in my planner later…"

And she kept going. Whenever I tried to get a word in, she would cut me off, holding up pretty, little things in front of my face, asking if I liked her ideas. Mike was sitting there, his eyes wide in shock. Every so often, he would look at me and mouth, "Help me," which was something that would normally make me laugh, but I couldn't get any enjoyment out of this situation.

"Honestly, Corie, we have a lot to do, but I know that I can do it all before the wedding. We're the Porters; we're good at improvising." She smiled at me, but her face quickly fell. "What's wrong? You don't like the gift bags?"

"No, no, that's not it. I love them; I love everything, Maggie. I really do." I attempted to give her the best smile I could, but I felt like it came across like a crazy, psychopath grin.

"Good!" she said brightly. "Okay, I get the guest room, I'm guessing. I'm going to start getting ready for bed, and then sleep, as should you, blood. What were you doing out so late anyway?"

"Yeah," Mike said, getting up from the couch. "I was going to ask you that as well. Where were you?"

_"Just reuniting with the love of my life for the first time in seven years."_

"I just got caught up in the park. I didn't realize how late it was; I'm sorry."

Mike kissed the top of my head. "No problem, babe. You ready for bed?"

"Yeah," I answered, my heart sinking.

Maggie sighed. "Ah, look at the two of you. All getting ready for your wedding! How crazy is that? I swear, it feels like it's been so long since Corie first told me about you, Mike."

By now, Mike was in the kitchen, putting some dishes in the sink. "Oh yeah? How's that?" he called.

"Well, you really changed her. Not that she needed to be changed," she added, nudging my knee. "She's always been great, but you really made her happy. I could tell."

Mike laughed. "You hear that, Corie? I told you you got it bad."

I gave a weak chuckle. "Yeah—you were right."

"Oh!" Maggie exclaimed, grabbing my hand. "The shower is next month—the fifteenth. Yes! I knew I would remember. It's actually going to be at Mike's parents house, so we'll have to put that in the invitations."

I nodded silently.

"Hey," Maggie said, her voice softer, "you sure you okay? You seem a little out of it."

I quickly looked over my shoulder. Mike was still in the kitchen, drying some wine glasses. He couldn't hear anything.

"I actually need to talk to you about something," I whispered, looking right at my sister.

At once, she looked concerned. Her eyes followed mine when I looked at Mike, and I could tell she was thinking of the worse. And it turned out…the worse was true in this case. She leaned towards me, tucking her hair behind her ear. "What's going on, Corie?"

"Just wait," I mouthed, as Mike walked back into the room.

"All right, babe," he said, grabbing my shoulder. "Let us make our way to the bedroom!"

"Actually, Mike, I'm going to stay up a bit later with Maggie. Just so we can catch up."

Mike looked between the two of us. "I thought you said you were tired, Maggie," he said smiling.

She managed a smile and shrugged her shoulders. "Sister talk."

"No, no, I understand. I know how the Porter girls are; I've been around you three too many times." Mike grinned at me and leaned down to kiss me on the head. " 'Night, babe."

"Goodnight," I whispered.

And with that, Mike walked into our bedroom, turned on the light, and closed the door.

Maggie turned to me at once.

"What's going on?" Her face looked weary, and I knew she was reluctant to hear my answer.

I sighed. "It's…complicated."

"You want to leave him?" she hissed, leaning towards me.

I instantly felt defensive. I wanted to yell out, _"How could you?"_; she knew how much I loved Mike.

But at the same time—

Wasn't that what I wanted to do? Sky had found me, after seven long years. He had always been the one I wanted to be with, regardless of whom I would marry or live with for the rest of my life. He was my soul mate; I had known it the moment I met him. Why get defensive at my sister when she was in the right?

I remained silent, and Maggie's eyes widened.

"Wait," I whispered, as she started to stand. "That's not what it is. I swear."

"Well, I was getting more wine, so please let me do so before we continue this conversation." As she walked to the kitchen, she added, "I'm gonna need it."

Maggie poured her glass and came back into the living room to sit across from me. She took a mighty gulp of her red wine before looking back at me. "Please explain what's going on, sister."

I looked at her with pleading eyes. "It's a _long_,_ long_ story."

She held her glass in the air. "I've got all the time in the world."

I took a deep breath, thinking of where to begin. Before the choir trip? Leaving for Neverland? I chuckled, imagining her reaction when I would utter the word, Neverland.

"What is so funny?" she asked, running her fingers through her hair.

I smiled. "Nothing. I just—I don't think you're going to believe me."

Her eyebrows sank right above her eyes. "Believe you? Why wouldn't I believe you?"

Once more, I smiled. "Can I have a sip of that?" I asked reaching for the wine.

She clenched the glass. "Why?"

"It's my wine!" I exclaimed.

"Fine," she sighed, handing it over.

The "sip" I took emptied the entire glass, and Maggie cried out, "Hey!"

I handed her back the glass and said, "Bring another glass and the bottle. I'm gonna need it."

It was three hours later, and my sister and I were still lounging on the couch, the empty bottle of wine lying on my coffee table. Maggie's head was against the cushion, and she was facing me, with her empty glass dangling limply in her hand.

Tissues were scattered around me, and I was wiping what was hopefully the last of my tears off my face. I blew my nose and looked unwillingly back at my sister.

"So," I said, my voice hoarse, "what should I do?"

Maggie exhaled, her lips limp and her head shaking. She sat up and placed her glass on the table. "Well," she started, leaning back against the couch, "I can't answer that for you, little sis. You know I can't."

Tears came back to my eyes, and I did all I could to not let them fall. I whispered, "I'm selfish."

"No," Maggie said at once, grabbing my hand. "You are not selfish. Do not let you think that for one second, okay?"

"I am!" I could hear my voice shaking, and I was in desperation to forbid myself to cry anymore. "I have both of them waiting for me to make a choice, and I don't want to make one. It makes no sense! I never thought Sky could find a way back to me, but somehow he did. I was fine with never seeing him again; I had made a vow never to imagine what could be, you know?

'And Mike! I'm so happy with him. You know I am, Maggie. I love him so much, and I really could see myself with him for the rest of my life, but then Sky just runs through my head whenever I imagine the future with Mike. It's enough to make me go crazy!"

I ended looking down at my lap, my hands balled up in fists against my head. To Maggie, I must _have_ looked insane, and I felt like I was. I had never been this conflicted in my entire life. After talking with Maggie, I realized what I would do to Mike if I left him. He would want answers, and how could I give him any?

_"Sorry, Mike, I'm leaving you for the boy I fell in love with in Neverland seven years ago! See ya later!"_

Maggie let me cry a little more, still holding onto my hand. I had no idea what time it was, but my throbbing head and heavy eyelids assured me that it was much too late to be drinking wine with my sister on my couch.

"Can I say something, Corie?"

I let out a hushed laugh. "Yes, of course! Anything will help."

She looked away for a second, as if forming the sentence in her head. When she looked back at me, she had a certain look on her face, which reminded me that she was much older than me; maybe not by years, but by experience. I couldn't explain it, but it was almost a flashback of when I was still in the phase where I didn't understand why she and her friends would avoid me. Maggie squeezed my hand and asked, "Have you ever thought that these feelings you're having for Sky are some sort of…form of nostalgia? Maybe being with him reminds you of when you were young and had no responsibilities. I understand that what you guys have is exceptional, but do you think it could work here? In the read world?"

My mind blanked, and I suddenly felt a slight tang of annoyance. The world "nostalgia" repeated in my head.

"So what," I said rather coolly, "you think me and Sky's relationship is some sort of… teenage crush?"

Maggie leaned back quickly, and she shook her head. "No no no, that wasn't what I was saying at all."

"Then what were you saying?"

"I was just saying, " she said, with a panicked look, "that being in love when you're young is completely different than when you're in love and older. I'm not saying that what Sky and you had is not real; I'm just saying that was seven years ago! You're with Mike now. He's perfect for you! Remember what you were like before you met him? You were a completely different person!"

"Stop it," I whispered.

"He made you better," she continued, to my dismay. "I know that you love him more than anything. I see the way you are with him; you're always smiling with him, you're always touching him. That's what love is, Corie!"

"But I had that with Sky too," I said, a sob bursting out. "I always needed to be touching him!"

"That's how all teenagers were."

I shook my head, wiping the tears off my face. "You don't get it. It was more than that."

"How can you be sure? You're different than you were back then."

"Maggie, please listen to me." I leaned towards her now, and I was using my last bit of energy to say what I needed to explain to her. "If you had been there, you would have understood.

'Sky was everything I needed. He made me feel more whole than I've ever felt in my entire life. The ten days I spent with him were the best days of my life. He understood me…better than anyone ever has. He knew what to say to me, how to hold me, when to ask me things. Everything was an adventure with him. I felt like I could fly whenever he kissed me. And, funny enough, I could fly with him."

Maggie shook her head, glancing down at her clasped hands. "I don't know what to believe anymore," she admitted.

"Maggie, I wouldn't lie to you."

She looked back up at me, a smile in her gaze. "Have you every thought that maybe Sky's an illusion?"

I laughed for the first time in our conversation. "Trust me," I said, "that has been a serious possibility in my mind."

We laughed for a couple seconds, but I could see that Maggie still looked weary. I knew deep down that the only reason she believed my story was because she was my sister, and it was her obligation to trust everything I said. The thought made me miserable, but I needed to let her know the truth about everything.

"I love them both, Maggie," I finally said, and she instantly stopped laughing.

"I know," she breathed. She tucked her hair behind her ears and leaned back against the couch, gazing intently at me. "I know you do, Corie. That's why this is so hard."

"So what do I do?" I asked once again.

She stared at me, taking in my composure. I knew that I was acting crazy, and it was taking every ounce of energy to keep my eyes open. How could I come up with an idea that would make everyone happy?

Maggie shook her head slowly, looking sad. "You know that I cannot make that decision for you."

"But what would _you_ do?"

Maggie laughed, and I joined in.

This was a question I had constantly asked her when we were younger. Whenever I needed advice, she had always been the one I went to. It was always frustrating to her when I would come to her for guidance, so I would always ask the question, "What would _you_ do?" to make the situation easier for her.

"You know that's the same question, right?" she chuckled.

"I always thought you'd never notice."

"That's because you're a dumbass."

I looked at the clock hanging above my television and saw that it was 2:30 in the morning. "Oh my God," I groaned, putting my hand to my forehead. "I have to go to bed soon."

"Yeah, me too. It was a bit of a trip to get here."

"I know," I said, completely serious. "I'm so glad that you came."

There was a moment of silence, and I knew that we were thinking the same thing. I had to figure out what to do by tomorrow morning. Maggie knew that I was planning on meeting Sky during the afternoon, and Mike would most likely want to talk later at night. I had to give an answer to both of them within 24 hours, and that meant I had to make a decision that would break someone's heart.

Maggie grabbed her bag off of the floor and started shuffling through her papers. I frowned at her. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Looking for something," she muttered. Papers began to be flung over the couch, some landing on the coffee table or on the ground. "Where the he-? Oh! Here it is!"

She pulled out a piece of paper, but I could not tell what it was. I started to reach for it, but she pressed it against her chest.

"I can't tell you what to do, but I think that you should read this before making a decision," Maggie said.

I opened my mouth, but she handed the piece of paper to me carefully.

"Just read it," she whispered firmly.

Looking down at the paper in my hand, I saw that it was folded up like a letter. The paper looked quite new, so I knew it to be recently written. Curiosity flooded through me, and I felt my fingertips tremble as I stroked over the bleeding words.

Maggie got up from the couch, and I looked up at her. "You going to bed?" I asked.

She nodded, yawning. "You should go to bed soon too. After you finish that," she added, pointing at the paper.

I gripped it firmly. "What does it have to do with my decision?"

"Everything."

I stared intently at her, trying to understand the meaning behind her words, but she turned around quite quickly. I watched her walk to the door of the guest room, and she stopped before closing the door.

"Corie," she said softly.

"What?"

"Just remember that getting married is for life. That's a long time."

I managed to give her a small smile. "Thank you, Maggie. I mean it."

"Good night, Corie."

And with that, the bedroom door closed.

Instantly, I unfolded the letter. The handwriting was Mike's, and his words covered the entire page. At once, I began to read:

"Maggie, as the wedding day is drawing nearer and nearer, I have come to realize that, as Corie's maid of honor, you will be making a speech. I know that this responsibility is a big one, and I trust that your words will touch the hearts of everyone at the reception, particularly Corie's.

"We have not had much time to get to know each other particularly well. For one, we have never had the chance to talk about my feelings for Corie. This seems preposterous to me, since the wedding is so close. Hopefully, after reading this, you will trust I will be a wonderful husband to your sister, and also, this maybe could act as some inspiration for your speech.

"It has always been a struggle for me to tell someone how I feel for them because, overall, I have struggled in any type of relationship. That has not always been the case. My friends have always told me that I am a hopeless romantic, and that is true, but when it comes to my _own _relationships, I always put doubt before anything else. I have felt, for as long as I can remember, that no girl will want to make it last with me. Believe me, I have had quite a few opportunities to date women, allow them to see a deeper side to me, but I have always had a wall up.

"Coming to New York for my new job, I intended on staying single for as long as I could. I wanted to have fun, go out, flirt with the ladies, and not worry about any ties. And that's what I did. And I thought it was perfect.

"That was, of course, until I met Corie.

"Immediately, I was attracted to her. Her entire demeanor was something I looked for in a girl. She joked around a lot, she had confidence but she wasn't stuck-up, and she had this adventurous air about her. I was drawn to her. I wanted to learn more about her. The first couple weeks after we met, I did everything I could to be around her. I called her up, texted her, emailed her during work, etc. I actually did not realize this before I wrote it out, but I was nervous around Corie. I am _never _nervous around girls. I thought about what to say before walking in the restaurant where we were planning to meet. I found myself wanting to impress her, which is something I never thought I would like doing. I liked seeing her, more than I liked seeing my best friends at work.

"And Maggie, when Corie and I started officially dating, I knew then why I had always been a hopeless romantic.

"The way she makes me feel is like a movie montage, as funny as that sounds. When I look at her, my heart literally races. The seconds before I see her, that same edginess that I felt in the beginning of our relationship takes over me. In the mirror, I check to see if there's anything in my teeth like I'm going on my first date. And then when I see her, I smile from ear to ear. Every nerve ending in my body is on fire when she is around. I find myself looking for her when we are in a crowded place. I am not comfortable until I know that she is near and that her hands are on mine. The way she holds me is like nothing I've ever felt before. With every other girl, it seemed like a role I had to play: grab her hand, put your arm around her shoulder, kiss her at this time, tell her she looks pretty when she curls her hair, do this, do that, etc.

"But with Corie, nothing seems like a task. I kiss her when I want to, I grab her hand when I laugh at something she says, I nuzzle her nose right after I kiss her, I tell her she looks beautiful without thinking about it beforehand, I surprise her with stories, and I want to comfort her when she doesn't even ask for it.

"And she knows me. Without even having to tell her much."

"I didn't know I was falling in love with Corie until I realized she was in my everyday thoughts. I had no idea how crazy I was for her until I noticed how often I talked about her and how I prayed for people to ask about her just so I could start another discussion about her. My friends always know when I'm texting her because I get a "stupid grin on [my] face." I always want to talk to Corie, which I never had with a girl before. Everything that happens to me is another excuse to text her. I could see a dog peeing on the street and say, "Hey, how about I tell Corie about that?" I want to take her everywhere I go. I want people to know that I'm in love with her. I want people to see us kissing and holding hands. I want people to see the way I immediately light up when she walks into the same room as me.

"I have never felt this way. I feel completely vulnerable, more vulnerable than I ever felt. And that is because I know this is for real. I am going to love your sister for a long time, and that is the most real thing that has ever happened to me. I do not know what to expect. I am all for fate taking the reins, but when it comes to my heart, I get weary. I never want to wake up without Corie by my side. Just the thought alone makes my heart tighten. I want to be with her for so long.

"My heart is telling me that Corie is "the One" for me in every sense of the word. When my mind tells me I'm going to get hurt, my heart reminds me how much worse it would be if I gave up on something so good. What she and I have is perfect; it literally is.

"I love me when I'm with Corie. I can be myself completely, which was different for other girls. She likes me for who I am, and I don't have to try to impress her. My friends and family love her and not just because they see how happy I am when I'm with her; Corie has such a way with people that she can't even see. I love being around her when she meets someone new because her voice is so smooth, so sincere, people like talking to her. I find myself proud to say she's mine.

"Maggie, I am 100% in this relationship.

"I have learned so much just by being with Corie for these past couple years. And I am ready, and willing, to learn an encyclopedia's amount of knowledge with her in the future. Because she has the ability to keep me hanging on. And I think she always will.

"I cannot wait to learn more about you as a friend and a sister-in-law.

"Thank you again for being a part of our lives."

Sincerely, Mike

A tear landed on Mike's name and made the ink run slowly down the page. I gently laid down the letter and curled up into a tight ball on the couch. Again, more heartbreak…what else was new?

As I cried myself to sleep, I realized then that I had absolutely no idea what to do, and that was the first time in my life I had actually felt helpless at making a decision.

I dreaded the time to wake up, and I prayed over and over in my head that the sun would never rise and that I could lay forever on this couch, able to question my future forever.


	32. To Be Around You

To Be Around You

When I woke in the morning, both Maggie and Mike were gone. The guest room was neat with the bed made, but Maggie's purse was gone, and I figured she had left to avoid talking to me. I looked in my bedroom and saw that Mike had stayed strictly on his side of the bed, thinking that I would have joined him sometime in the night. I walked slowly over to my bedside and began to make the bed, still feeling Mike's warmth within the sheets.

The shower I took and the clothes that rested against my naked body all felt numb to me. So many thoughts were running through my head, and I was doing all I could to find strength for the day ahead of me.

However, noon was quickly approaching, and I had never been so excited and at the same time scared in my entire life.

As I got ready, I made sure to put my makeup carefully on. It had never really mattered if I wore makeup in front of Sky because most of the times he saw me, I had nothing on my face.

But this day was different.

I wanted to look beautiful for him, something I had never felt with Sky before. Sure, he had always had the ability to make me feel pretty, but I was not one to attempt to look extraordinary for him.

When I looked in the full-length mirror on the back of my bathroom door, I saw a little girl.

Sure, I was dressed up in my flowy, navy blue dress that clung to all of the right places on my body, but my face looked cowardly. The difference of how I must have looked last night to the moment in front of my mirror was comical.

After I had left Sky, my cheeks had felt pleasantly warm. Not only was I smiling from ear to ear, but also my whole body seemed to be shaking with delight. My hair was pushed off of my face, and I had felt so refreshed looking up at the night sky and the bright, apartment buildings.

But right now, my face was pale as a ghost's. I looked like I was shrinking because I was angled away from my reflection, clinging to myself like I was nervous of falling apart. My hair was half-up and curled, so that was really the only thing that made my appearance more enjoyable to look at. I just looked thin and hallow, like I had not eaten or slept for days.

Nevertheless, it did not matter. I had to meet Sky at Central Park in less than an hour, and I had to prepare myself for our conversation. I had no idea what to expect of him. He was either going to be eager to see me again or he was going to be in that mood he had shown a little of last night. I did not blame him for being angry with the entire situation, but it still would make it easier if he was not glaring at me from beneath his dark eyebrows.

I looked at the clock hanging near my bathroom and saw that it was 11:30. With that, I grabbed my purse off the hook on my wall and left my bedroom.

I had turned on the television when I woke up, and it was still on when I walked into the living room. The news was on, sharing depressing stories and typical facts that popped up in every daily edition of the red eye.

The weatherman shared that it was a perfect day out: blue skies, 75-degree weather, with sunny weather from noon to nighttime.

I huffed impatiently, picked up the remote from the couch, and quickly turned off the television. Of course it was a perfect day. It seemed as if the weatherman was laughing at my mood, sharing how everyone else would be perfectly content on a day like this.

With that, I swung my purse onto my shoulder and walked to my apartment door. I stopped when I saw a white piece of paper stuck underneath the peephole. I recognized Mike's writing.

"Corie, meet me at our Starbuck's tonight at seven. If I'm running late, it's because I got held up at work. See you then. Love you."

I ripped the paper off the door and crumpled it in my hand. I had been right; Mike wanted to talk to me. He could tell something was up with me, and he had seen it in my face last night.

After throwing out Mike's letter, I walked out of my apartment and locked the door. A rush of anxiety went through my body as I realized that I would see Sky in less than half an hour. Without realizing it, my hand went to my hair to check its smoothness. My hand shot back down when I was conscious of what I was doing.

To be primping my hair for another man other than my fiancé was not really the best thing to do in my condition.

As I walked into the park, I noticed that there were many people picnicking, playing Frisbee, flying a kite, or just holding hands walking along the path. The wind rushed across the grass, and the tops of the trees moved slowly, branches creaking and leaves falling.

The memory of Sky and me flying above the treetops popped into my head, and yet, there was no need, for there he was: Sky. He was standing next to the bench where I had been sitting last night. And he looked perfect as ever.

In spite of myself, I smiled. How could I not smile whenever I saw Sky? However, my heart was practically beating out of my chest. Each step I took towards him, I swore it was closer and closer to a heart attack. I knew my nerves were taking over my body because my hands began to shake, and my lips trembled as I kept on smiling at Sky.

Finally, I was standing in front of him, clutching onto my purse to do something with my hands.

Sky was dressed in a forest green shirt, fitting nicely against his frame. He had on plaid shorts, and with a laugh, I saw he had plaid shoes on as well. His hair was tousled from the wind, but it looked just as it did when we were kids. Most importantly, he looked happy, as I hoped he would. His hands were in his pockets, and he was looking demurely down at me. He smiled as I stepped in front of him and took his hands out of his pockets.

"Corie," he said.

"Hi, Sky," I tried to say brightly, but it came out as a high whisper.

He didn't seem to notice though because he then bent down and wrapped his arms around me.

I immediately gave in and returned the embrace. His scent enveloped me, and I nestled my head into his shoulder. He casually ran his fingers through my hair, and I could have sworn I felt him lift a strand of my hair up to his nose.

The thoughts that were running through my mind immediately vanished, and I allowed myself to just finally appreciate a moment with Sky. It felt so good to hold him. There was no way of describing the rush I got whenever he put his arms around me. I could never be close enough to him, so I continuously pushed myself closer to his frame, tightening my arms around his neck. Chills ran up my arms as he stroked my back, and I leaned my cheek against his.

Sky laughed. "Why does this feel so good?"

I laughed in return. "I can't explain it either," I whispered.

With that, he kissed me on the cheek and let go. As he distanced himself from me, he looked down at my outfit. "You look adorable today," he said.

I grabbed at my skirt as my heart skipped a beat. "Thank you."

His eyes traveled to my hair. "Your hair…"

"You like it?" I asked as my hand shot up to my curls.

He smiled widely. "Of course I do. I've never seen it like this."

"That's because I never wanted to curl my hair in the middle of the night."

He laughed. "I forgot it was nighttime here when you and Ali came to see us."

I shrugged my shoulders. "It was worth it."

Without warning, Sky reached out and tucked my hair behind my right ear. His hand trailed slowly down from my ear, to the side of my neck, down to my collarbone. I stared up at him, the smile off my face. He was no longer smiling as well.

"God, I've missed you," he breathed.

The wind swept by us again, shaking the leaves of the trees and shaking me out of my reverie. I looked around to see if anyone was looking, but everyone was too busy enjoying the day to pay attention to a couple in the park.

"So," I said, looking back up at Sky, "you want to stay here, or do you want to walk?"

Sky gazed out at the park in the distance, his eyes narrow. "How big is this park?"

I smiled. "It's big."

"Really?"

"Yeah, ridiculously big."

"Well then, I guess we should walk the path."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Yeah. We have a lot to talk about," Sky said nonchalantly, putting his hands in his pockets.

He said it as if we were old high school friends. I almost laughed, but I knew Sky was nervous, so I did not want to make fun of him when he was being courageous enough to meet me here again.

"Yes we do." And when I said it, the fun ended. I knew what had to be talked about, but I didn't want to talk about it. I wanted to know how Peter was, how the Lost Boys were, how the island was, how Sky had gotten here, etc. There was so much to be discussed, but I knew Sky wanted to know what his place was here. And to be honest, I still had had no idea.

As we began to walk, I could not resist. It had been stirring along with the many other questions in my head. "How are the boys?" I asked quickly, hoping to escape a glare.

I was pleased to see Sky smile. He looked down at me, his eyes bright. "They're great, Corie. Asked me to tell you hi."

"Hi!"

He laughed, still glancing at me. "They're all so ridiculous. They wanted to come with just to visit you, but Peter said it wasn't a good idea."

"Why not?" I asked.

Sky made a face. "It's a bit difficult to explain."

I spread my arms out in front of me, gesturing towards the path. "We have all day," I said with a smile.

He smiled, but it went away quickly as he struggled to clarify Peter's decision. He sighed and looked up, as if he saw something in the distance. I stared at his profile, my eyes taking in every inch of his face, wishing I could press my lips against him again.

"Well, if the Lost Boys ever wanted to leave Neverland, they could, as you can see," Sky started, pointing to himself. "And you remember when we all came to your concert, right? At the church?"

I could envision all of their small faces smiling at me as I sang. Sky had looked so serene among their bouncing bodies. I had wanted nothing but to run out to him the second I had seen him.

"How could I forget?" I said, smiling at the memory.

Sky continued, "You may not have noticed because the differences are not so perceptible, but all of us aged a year when we came to see you and Ali in this world."

I tried to hang onto his words, but I just stared at him. "Come again?"

He rolled his eyes but continued anyway. "Neverland halts us in time; we can never age, and we stay young forever. All of us are at different ages, depending on the age that we _want_ to be for the rest of time. That is why some of the boys are older than others. It mostly depends on maturity level. Peter jokes about it all the time," he finished with a grin.

"So, you're telling me," I said slowly, choosing each word carefully, "that every time Peter leaves Neverland, he becomes one year older."

"Correct," Sky said with a nod.

I shook my head in confusion. "That doesn't make sense. Peter would be, like, 35 by now!"

Sky gave me a steady look. "Peter is not like the rest of us. Surely you know that by now."

And I did. The second Sky had opened his mouth, I knew he was going to say that.

Peter was the first lost boy ever to reach Neverland. Without him, there would be no other lost boys. He helped them come to the island, and he had helped them grow to decide whether or not they wanted to stay forever with him or if they wanted to leave and go back to their original families. Someone like Peter could not age because he would never, not in a million years, ever want to get older. Sure, every time he had left to pick up Ali and me, he had aged a year. But right as he flew over Neverland, he himself had decided to not stay that age. He chose to be young forever. It did not matter how many times he left because there were many other occurrences before Ali and me, back and back and back. Wendy was the first girl he had visited, and he had probably visited her over a hundred times! A distant memory popped into my mind of Sky telling me that Peter went to visit Sky's parents and sister every so often, to take pictures and letters back to Neverland. All of these visits had no effect on Peter though because he was the only boy who wanted to be a boy for the rest of time. That was what made him different than everybody else.

And that is when my heart sunk.

One day, maybe not definitely, every lost boy that currently lived in Neverland would leave Peter for the real world.

I do not know how I really knew, but deep inside, I recognized it to be true.

Peter was the only one in Neverland who had run away from his home. When he had heard of his future, the stresses, the anxieties, the plans, he had chosen to escape from his mother and father. He had only been a baby, and he had already been afraid to face the real world. Neverland was his true home because he detached himself from his proper family. He made the lost boys his brothers because he knew he could never have a real brother. Tink was his best friend because she was the one who had saved him and showed him Neverland. Peter had nothing else…except Neverland.

But the other boys, they had another life! None of them chose to go to Neverland; Peter had made that choice for them. The boys had either fallen out of their prams, been ignored by their parents, or been deserted for good by their loved ones. From there, Peter had been the one to rescue them and show them a safe haven. But deep down inside, the boys knew that it was not their place to belong to. They had a real home that they would have loved to live in, with a sturdy father and a loving mother. Peter… he had wanted none of that.

All he wanted was to be a boy and stay young forever. Peter got by with the war games, the play-acting, and the sword fighting. He loved being chased by Hook and dancing around the Indians' campfire. The things that made him feel at home were the things on Neverland: the fairies, the trees, the dirt, and the ocean. He didn't need a mother to hold him at night, and he didn't need a father to play catch with him on a nice, sunny day.

But the other boys, didn't they need more than what Peter needed?

Tootles could leave one day because he was staring to feel used by Peter. Slightly could leave one day because he wanted to feel love. Nibbs could leave one day because he never truly had a leadership role. The twins could leave one day because they wanted to see whether they had their father's eyes or their mother's eyes.

And Sky… he had left for a girl. A girl that he loved more than Neverland itself…and more than his best friend, Peter.

My heart tore itself open for Peter, and I was embarrassed to feel a tear running down my cheek. I heard Sky sigh up above, and I reluctantly looked up at him.

"So now you understand, Corie," he said sadly, staring at my tear. His finger gently brushed at my cheek, and the wetness flew away. He gave me a significant look. "Although we are all Peter has, Peter has never been the only thing we need in our lives."

"You're not going back." I said it as a statement. My voice was choked when I spoke.

Sky slowly shook his head, waiting for my reaction.

"And the lost boys…one day they will leave too."

Sky nodded.

A sob broke from me, and I put my hands to my face. When Sky put his hands on my shoulders, I shook them away. "Don't pity me! This is all my fault."

Sky gave a weak laugh. "What?"

"You never would have come here if it weren't for me. The lost boys would never know about love, or family, or holidays, or mothers, or fathers, or siblings, if it weren't for me! Ali and I never should have come to Neverland. We ruined Peter because of it." Tears were falling down my face now, and I could see that Sky looked completely shocked at my state. Clearly, he had not expected me to react like this.

"You have no idea what you're saying. Corie, you and Ali and _nothing _to do with it. And have you forgotten that a _family_ has visited Neverland before you two? The lost boys have seen love…between two brothers and a sister! They knew what they were missing before you even came to Neverland."

"Yeah, but I didn't exactly help, did I? Look!" I cried out, flinging my hands out towards Sky. "You're standing right next to me, walking in Central Park for God's sake; something you swore never to do! The lost boys saw how I manipulated you to come to the real world with me."

"Corie, _I _made this choice. Yes, you have had a lot to do with it, but a part of me knew deep down that I never belonged in Neverland. I have been dreaming, since the day I was born, to know and love my family. You saw how much it hurt me to talk about my sister! I have no idea what she looks like, how she acts, what she loves, what her interests are, nothing!"

I looked up at him, my chest rising and falling with my shuddering breaths. A tear slid down my nose, and I flicked my finger across to catch it. I didn't want to cry anymore in front of Sky, but this just hurt too much. The thought of Peter being all by himself in Neverland was enough to make me go back to him and apologize for ever showing up on the island in the first place.

Sky grabbed my hand, stroking my skin with this fingers. I noticed he had picked up his pace slightly because I had slowed when I had started crying. Occasionally, people passed us, giving me a quick, questioning glance but then continued on their merry, little ways. I hastily wiped my cheeks, making sure there was no running mascara on my face.

Sky took a deep breath to catch my attention. When I looked up at him, I saw that he was using his free hand to press his fingers against the lines on his forehead, as if to ease a headache. I instantly felt guilty; it was my fault that this whole conversation was so stressful. We had just begun, and already I had cried out, pushed myself away from Sky, and sobbed. What a great start.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, and I saw Sky glance at me. "I didn't mean to make this so difficult. I just feel so awful for Peter."

Sky sighed again and squeezed my hand with more energy than before. "Corie, it is normal for you to worry about Peter. I worry about him all the time. You have to remember though; Peter will never be alone."

I tilted my head up. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"Come on, you have to know that there will always be lost boys coming and going in Neverland. That is how it's always been…"

And the look he gave me was so demeaning, that I felt a little angered. "Well, how am I supposed to know that?" I demanded, letting go of his hand.

"Come on," Sky said gently, grabbing at my hand again. "Don't do that." When he touched my hand again, I showed no signs of resisting, so he wrapped his fingers around mine. I had to admit; it made me feel better.

"So, what you're saying is," I said, slowly, thinking about it, "over the years since Peter first came to the island, lost boys have come to Neverland, and then those same boys left, and then more came, and then they left, and then maybe even some of you came…"

"…and so on and so forth," Sky interrupted with a smile. "Yes, that is what I'm saying."

"Were you in the first group?"

Sky scrunched his face in thought. "More like the second. I did not know a lot of the older guys when I was younger, so I knew that they had been there longer than I had."

"You saw them leave Neverland then?"

Sky gave me a look of approval. "Some of them," he answered. "They would mostly leave in the middle of the night, so as to avoid goodbyes. Goodbyes were never our strong suit."

I had remembered how difficult it had been for the lost boys to say goodbye to Ali and me. And we had only been there for ten days. Saying goodbye to someone as close as a brother must have been complete hell for them.

I looked at Sky's profile. He was so lovely. The way the sun hit him was like a painting. Every inch of his skin was perfect. I couldn't get over the way his eyes shone when he smiled or the perfect way he held himself. I caught myself squeezing his hand tighter and tighter.

"So, when did you leave?" I asked reluctantly, continuing to stare at him.

His face fell slightly, and the glow of his skin seemed to have diminished the smallest bit. He coughed. "Two in the morning."

I nodded, expecting to hear an answer like that. "So as to avoid goodbyes…"

"Yes."

"But…they knew you were leaving, right?"

Sky looked appalled. "Of course! I had to let them know where I was going. That would be the worst thing for me to do…leaving without an explanation…."

I felt my cheeks grow hot, and I looked down at my feet.

Sky continued; luckily, he hadn't noticed my shame at his last comment. "I had told them a month in advance. They, obviously, begged me not to go, but I think they all understood why I was going. Peter especially."

That surprised me. Peter had been the most reluctant to let Sky go when he had first heard the news that he was planning to travel to the real world with me. That had been because they were best friends, so that was the only reason Peter had finally approved of Sky's decision.

"Why did Peter understand the most?"

Sky shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Because he used to love someone this much, and I think a part of him always wondered what it would be like to have stayed with her and loved her in the real world. He could have married her, gotten a job, raised a family, grown old…"

Even I laughed at that. "The thought of Peter sitting at a desk…" I started, but Sky stopped me with a laugh too.

"I know," he said, nodding his head. The smile slid off his face, and he looked right at me. The sky seemed to darken, and I could tell that so many questions were flying through Sky's head. It couldn't be all fun and games. I had to explain to Sky what had happened since I had left him, and that was the farthest thing from enjoyment. "Peter really loved her though." That phrase was full of so much implication that I felt my eyes fill with tears. Quickly, I bowed my head and swallowed loudly.

"I know he did," I whispered. And suddenly, I felt defensive for Wendy. Sure, she had broken Peter's heart, but she had done the most selfless thing: she had given up true love to turn Peter away from the harsh realities of the real world. It must have hurt her more than anything to look in the mirror each morning and see that she was getting older and older. How heartbroken she must have been when she realized she could no longer fly.

I looked up at Sky and felt the desire to yell and cry out that what I had done had all been for him, but instead I felt weak when his face turned towards me. All I wanted to do was hold him, kiss his cheek, and whisper in his ear how sorry I was for ever leaving him.

"Sky," I said, and the air around us abruptly changed. It was heavy with significance, as if it knew the seriousness of our matter. Sky shifted uncomfortably, and I could see his step getting slower, clumsier. I tried to keep my voice steady, but when I opened my mouth it was dry, and the voice coming from my throat sounded nothing like my own.

"Yes?" Sky asked.

There was so much to say…seven years worth in fact. I felt like I was standing next to a stranger, but this was Sky: my soul mate. The instant the thought came to mind, I felt stronger. I hadn't thought of Sky like that in a long time, on account of Mike, but it had been true since we were both born. We were destined to meet each other, and it had happened. I should not be uncomfortable in front of someone who is my other half.

My hair flew across my face, and I roughly tugged it behind my ear. "Sky," I repeated, and this time my voice was not shaking. He looked at me, wide-eyed and waiting. Taking a deep breath, I blew all the fear out of me. "The decision I made was for you. If it had been any consideration towards me, you know that I would have taken you with me. I thought I was doing the right thing when I left that tree house. I thought that the second I left, you would have realized that it was a blessing in disguise.

"I saw how you were the last couple days with the lost boys, and I could see that it killed you to say goodbye to them. The look you had in your eyes…" Just the thought made my heart clench.

Sky sighed. "It wasn't your decision to make, Corie."  
"I know you think that, but it was!" I felt desperate to explain myself; I didn't have time for Sky to interrupt me. "It would be like—I don't know—watching you drown when I have the ability to help you. I know that's a really bad analogy, but it's the only way I can explain how I felt."

"How many times had I told you I was final with my decision? Hadn't I promised you that I wouldn't back out?"

"You did, but I could see in your eyes that you didn't mean it."

"How did you know what I did and didn't mean? You're not inside my head, Corie."

"Because I know you better than anyone else!"

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! WILL TRY TO POST WITHIN A WEEK!

PS. THANK YOU FOR THE NICE REVIEWS. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.


	33. The Way You Do

The Way You Do

Sky and I always managed to do this somehow: get in a heated discussion when we had merely planned on calmly talking to each other. We had stopped in the middle of the path now and were facing each other head on.

"How did you know what I did and didn't mean? You're not inside my head, Corie."

"Because I know you better than anyone else!"

"Apparently not!" Sky screamed. "Because after you left, I questioned myself _everyday_ why you had done what you had done. I clearly wanted to go with you and, out of nowhere, you decided to make my decision for me!"

"Sky, I was just trying to help you!"

"Well you didn't! You destroyed me!"

"And you think it didn't hurt me either? You think I didn't cry myself to sleep every night?" I knew that what I was saying was not going to help the situation, but I felt defensive now of my decision. I thought that what I had done was benefitting Sky in the end. He was yelling at me as if I were his enemy.

Sky gave a sarcastic laugh. "Oho! Now here comes the dramatics! I knew they would show up eventually."

Icy anger flooded through me, and I had the strongest urge to smack my hand across his face. However, I resisted and allowed my fingers to relax out of the fist I had made sometime in our debate.

I noticed then that people were giving us dirty looks passing us on the path. No wonder; we were blocking the entire walkway.

As a biker passed by, I grabbed Sky's forearm and led him off the path. "Come on," I mumbled, "we have to get out of the way."

Sky shook his arm out of my grip, and I rolled my eyes. However, he still followed me, and I could hear his short breaths the whole time behind me. The second we made it to the shade, he rounded on me. I could see that he was not ready to quit this argument yet.

"Just be honest: you made the decision for yourself. You were scared, weren't you?"

This question totally blew me away. I had never, for one second, thought that this would be Sky's conclusion. I had imagined many other ideas inside his head, but this one threw me for a loop. I felt my mouth drop open in shock.

"That's what you think?" I asked. "That I was nervous to have to take care of you?"

Sky shifted his shoulders. "Well isn't it?" He had his guard up…the one that I hated so much. He always put it up whenever we were having an uncomfortable conversation. I would much rather him cry and say what he was truly thinking than act like this big, macho man in front of me.

"No," I shot out, and I cringed at my aggression. "No," I repeated in a calmer voice. "That wasn't it at all, Sky."

"Then what was it?"

When he asked it, I could see the pain in his eyes. He suddenly looked much older and much more tired. The bags under his eyes were visible in the dark shade, and I noticed that his shoulders were becoming more and more hunched as we talked. I wanted to go back to when we were sixteen with no worries on our minds. This was too much for both of us.

I sighed restlessly and played with the buttons on my dress. I had to stop acting like I was sixteen, however, especially for a conversation as serious as this one.

"Can we sit down?" I asked, looking up at Sky.

He paused for a second, and I thought he was about to refuse. But he merely shrugged his shoulders and pointed for me to sit.

I followed his command and plopped down into the grass. It was cold and itchy against my legs, but it was much better than having to stare up at someone who was almost a foot taller than me.

Sky copied and sat across from me, swatting at a mosquito on his leg. He looked at me as if it was my fault for him being bitten.

"Stop it," I said in a gentle voice. I was sick of this petty fight we were in; it was time to get down to business and discuss this more like adults.

"Stop what?"

"Stop being mad, okay? You're not making this any easier."

Sky scratched behind his ear and looked to the side. "Sorry," he said, quickly avoiding eye contact with me.

"No, you're not."

He looked right at me then and scooted closer to me. "No, you're right; I'm not. But can you blame me?" he almost pleaded. "Put yourself in my situation for a minute and see if you can understand why I'm angry."

"You have every right to be angry, but you need to give me some time to explain."

"Like why you're marrying someone other than me?"

And there he said it. I knew it wasn't going to take long, but I hadn't been expecting it this early. However, I could hear the resentment in every statement he said. I knew that it pained him to bring it up, but at the same time, it was almost fascinating to him. It was like opening a door to my secrets or finding out the password to my computer. It was a way of learning the innermost thoughts of my mind.

I wiped sweat from my upper lip and did all I could to avoid Sky's eyes. Looking into them would only make my explanation sound faulty.

Where to start, where to start…

"You would really like him, Sky," I decided on saying. "I know that you hate to hear that, but Mike's a lot like you."

Sky rolled his eyes and looked down at his lap. "Doesn't seem like it."

I picked my head up. "What do you mean? How would you know?"

"I haven't been here for merely a day, Corie. I've been here for about a week now."

My process of thought was always off whenever I was around Sky, so this statement didn't make sense to me at first. However, as it sunk in, I suddenly realized what he was saying.

"You've been following me?" I noticed halfway through my statement that I wasn't angered by this, not even irritated. It was a surprise, no doubt, but I realized that if it had been me in Sky's shoes, I would have done the exact same thing.

"Well when you say it like that…" Sky muttered.

"Well that's what it is, isn't it?"

There was a sudden change between us; it was hard to acknowledge it, but at the same time, both of us could feel the shift in the conversation. We wanted to be closer to each other now. It seemed crazy that, after yelling at each other like mortal enemies, we wanted to say what we were truly thinking now. I felt vulnerable whenever we got to this stage, but at the same time, I had never felt so safe knowing it was Sky that I was talking to.

By the twist of his mouth, I could see that he was hesitant in giving his opinion of Mike. Sky, no matter how irritating it was to admit, was a caring man. He did everything in his power to avoid hurting anyone's feelings. In Neverland, he was the most affectionate with the Lost Boys. He had a way with them. They respected him, but loved him wholeheartedly. It was this charm that had won me over in the beginning.

I felt responsible for taking him out of his misery. "You can tell me the truth, you know?" I tried to say it nonchalantly. I actually envisioned myself sipping a cocktail afterwards to support my tone. In my head, I thought of how much easier this conversation might have been if we had done it over drinks. However, the sentence came out demandingly, like a professor scolding a student. I prayed to God Sky would say nothing about it.

It appeared he didn't notice because he seemed to go deeper into thought. I watched him as the wind blew by once more, shaking up his ruffled hair and combing the fabric of his shirt. The desire to touch him flared once again, but I resisted.

"I don't like him."

It was that simple: Sky hated Mike. And if Mike knew about Sky, it would be the other way around. I almost laughed out loud, but I became aware of how insensitive it would be. Sky was just being honest with me, something that I always loved about him.

I sighed and shrugged my shoulders with a casual flinch. "I can't say I'm surprised," I said, smiling widely at him.

His mouth twitched at my grin. "I didn't think you would respond this well."

"Well, I can't say I would be as accepting if I were in your position either."

"Ha! Well…" Sky scuffed his hand across the grass, looking for a way to distract himself from me.

I gave him a moment to compose himself, and when he looked at me, I cocked my head. "So," I asked, "what don't you like about him?"

"The fact that he's marrying you is probably number one," he said, mockingly putting his finger to his chin.

I gave a light laugh but kept my eyes glued on him. "What is reason number two?"

His features changed slightly, but Sky was good at hiding his frustration. He looked out towards the path and let his eyes fall back and forth on different runners going by. I could tell, just by looking at the course of his eyeballs, which runners were slow and fast.

He looked back at me after a moment. "He has a weird laugh."

My eyes widened. " 'Weird laugh?' No way! In what way?"

Sky shrugged his shoulders, but he couldn't hide his smile. "I don't know… it's all high-pitched and everything…"

"It is not high-pitched!"

"Yes it is! Actually, his voice is pretty high altogether. It surprised me, since he's a hefty guy."

"Oh, so now he's hefty? Is that reason number three?"

"Not like…hefty hefty. It just looks like he works out a lot."

"He does. He has a gym in his work building."

"Well good for Mike."

I stopped for a second, to allow Sky to recollect his thoughts, but it appeared he needed no time. "I was there last week when you met with friends. It was at that bar near your apartment…"

The bar Mike and I had met at. It was last Saturday. Mike had invited me to go to his friend, Nick's, birthday party. The fact was I had been a little nervous because I had this strange feeling that Mike's friends didn't like me that much. I tried to be myself around them, try to show off my fun side, but they just kind of blew off any type of conversation I would start with them. The party was fun, but as always, I felt a little excluded from the group. I couldn't think of anything to say to Sky, so I waited for him to continue.

He sighed, looking weary at what he wanted to say, but he started when I gave him a look. "Are all his friends rich, bratty snobs or was that just the crowd at the party?"

It was exactly true, and I realized what a perfect description it was to describe Mike's friends. They were all types of doctors who were fulfilling their PhD of some sort. I felt like jumping off a cliff when I went to one friend of Mike's (her name is Tina), and she said she felt guilty for coming out when she had her memoirs to finish. I almost threw up on her.

"Not _all_ of them are rich snobs. He actually has a good few."

"But the ones at the bar were rich snobs, am I right?" Sky pointed out.

The look on my face gave me away.

"You looked beautiful that night," Sky whispered, and I quickly turned towards him. He gave a small smile. "I almost gave myself away right then, when you passed me at the bar on your way to the bathroom. I could have reached out, grabbed your arm, told you to leave with me…"

My heart jumped, and I couldn't help but wish that he had done just that. I had gone to the bathroom for almost half an hour to avoid any more conversations about memoirs or self-proclaimed novels.

"Why didn't you?" I breathed, and the look that crossed Sky's face looked like something between a grimace and a smile.

"Because you were with him."

I looked down at my hands and did all I could to avoid crying. Why couldn't this be easier? Why couldn't we just go back to when we had no issues? I almost felt like grabbing Sky's arm, kissing him deeply on the lips, and asking him to run away with me. However, there was so much holding me back.

"Do you love him?" Sky asked suddenly.

I glanced at him in surprise, but he wasn't looking at me. Shrugging my shoulders, I admitted, "Well…you know, yes."

Sky snorted. "That sounded resolute."

"Well, yes! Of course I love him! Why do you think I'm marrying him?"

He made a face and looked away again, the expression unreadable.

I sighed and looked back down into my lap. The wind howled by once more, blowing my curls across my shoulders. I took a deep breath and began playing with my engagement ring. "He wants to meet with me tonight…" Sky looked at me, obviously interested. "…to talk," I finished.

"About what?"

"He knows something's up. He could sense it last night."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, Maggie came in last night, since she's my ma-."

"Maggie?" Sky interrupted, his eyes widening. "As in your sister?"

I nodded. I noticed, with each sentence, Sky was inching closer and closer, the gap between us shortening. "Well what did she want?" His voice was much calmer now, given that our main focus point wasn't my fiancé anymore.

Well, that didn't last.

I said it quickly to get it over with. "She's my maid of honor…for the wedding, you know? It means that she prepares everything; I basically depend on her to get everything done."

"I know what a maid of honor is, Corie," Sky said coldly.

"Oh, sorry."

There was a moment of silence where the two of would sneak peeks at each other. We were both trying to figure out what the other was thinking, but it would not work. The two of us were much too stubborn to ever give in first.

"Anyway, she came in last night to help me with things, and I told her about you." I said it noncommittally, but the look Sky gave me made me realize that nothing about this was casual conversation.

"You told her?" Sky asked, incredulous. "About you and me? About us in Neverland?"

I let out a laugh. "It was a long conversation."

"And she believed you?"

"Of course she did! She's my sister!"

"Does anyone else know? I mean, besides…"

"Besides my few choir friends? No, no one else knows."

At that, Sky's head dropped. He picked at something on his fingernail, but there was something in his expression that looked almost childlike.

"What?" I asked, leaning closer to him.

He looked up. "So, your mom and dad know nothing about me? Your older sister?"

I knew where he was getting at, and I instantly felt the guilt rise up in my chest. Taking a deep breath, I tried to swallow it back down, but there was no use. I had never told my parents about Sky for the main reason that I would have sounded absolutely insane. They were already nervous enough about me. If I had told them that I had met my soul mate in Neverland, the possibility of me being sent to a psychiatric ward would have been exceedingly high.

"Sky, there was no way of telling them. They wouldn't have understood either way! I was only there for ten days. If I had told them I met a boy in England, fell in love with, and _slept_ with him after only knowing him for ten days, they would have murdered me!"

I expected some sort of rebuttal, but Sky only nodded, his shoulders sinking. "I understand," he said. "I just wish they could know about me."

And for a second, I wished it too. I imagined Sky and me sitting on the couch in my parents' living room, playing our family's favorite board games, Katie teasing Sky to get a rise out of him, Maggie shutting her up, my mom offering wine to Sky, and my dad asking him whether or not he wanted to hunt the next day. He fitted perfectly in the memory, as if it had already happened. Sky would have been loved by my family, but I had never mentioned him to any of them merely because he seemed like an imaginary figure.

"What time is it?" Sky suddenly asked.

I came out of my reverie to look down at my watch. It was 2:15. I repeated the time to Sky, and he nodded his head significantly.

"Why? What is it?" I inquired.

"I was just wondering if I could see your apartment before old Mikey gets back from work."

"Yes!" I shout out instantly, not thinking. He looked quite surprised, but a smile spread across his face. That was when I realized just what he had asked me. "Oh, well wait. Maggie might be there…"

Sky shrugged his shoulders. "So what? You can introduce me. She already knows about me already."

I shook my head. "Sky," I said, "you know that's not a good idea. She's supportive of me, but she didn't seem too thrilled when I told her about you last night."

"Well, call her up and see where she is. I would really like to see your place."

I stared at him for a moment, completely thrown for how offhand he was about all this. Just a couple of minutes ago, we had been yelling at each other, and now he was acting like an old friend from high school. I read deeply into his expression, but there was nothing giving him away. He was just smiling, looking totally content with what was going on.

"All right…" I said in a tone that showed my suspicion. "But if she's going to be there, we're not going," I warned him.

Once again, Sky shrugged his shoulders. "We'll get to that when we have to."

"Okayyyyy."

I took out my phone from my purse and typed in Maggie's number. Part of me prayed that she was at the apartment, and part of me secretly hoped that she would be gone the entire day.

After two rings, she answered: "Hello!" She sounded breathless, and with a leap of my heart, I realized she was out; I could hear the beeps of cars passing by, honking at their companions on the busy New York streets.

"Oh, you're not at home?" I asked, feigning disappointment.

I saw Sky look at me from the corner of my eye.

"Nah, I needed to get out, you know?" I knew exactly what she meant, but I didn't want to delve into that conversation again.

"Yeah, I get it. I was just seeing if you wanted to get lunch or something, but since you're already out…"

"Aw, thanks, sis! Yeah, sorry! I'm busy with other stuff. Maybe we can get dinner later."

I took a deep breath and made sure not to look at Sky. "Oh, well maybe. Mike wanted to meet after he gets out of work. Might be around dinnertime, so I can just pick up something for you."

My tone of voice did nothing to deceive Maggie. She hesitated for a second, and when she spoke, I could tell her face was pressed more tightly against the phone. "Is everything okay?"

I took another look at Sky, but he was glimpsing at something on his hand. "Everything's fine!" I said in a cheery voice. "There should be nothing for him to worry about!"

"Are you sure?" Maggie asked, obviously unconvinced. "Maybe he overheard us last night…"

"Yeah, I don't really know. Hey, Maggie, you're kind of breaking up a little bit so I'm going to let you go. We can talk about this later, okay?"

"Yeah okay. Talk to you later, sis."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and looked at Sky.

"She's not there," he said with a smile, and I couldn't help but smile in response. "Shall we get going then?" he inquired, rubbing his hands together.

It felt like we were sharing some deep, dark secret, and in a way, we were. There could be no way of me telling Mike about Sky. Not only would that break his heart, but I'm sure Mike's family wouldn't be so keen on hearing about my secret love affair with Sky.

_"It's not a love affair!"_ my self-conscious argued. _"We haven't done anything yet!"_

But that kiss…

It had obviously meant something to both of us. And it was far from being innocent. It had been our most passionate kiss yet, and all I had wanted to do was have Sky pick me up and take me away so that it could just be the two of us, alone, for the rest of out lives.

_"Well, we haven't slept together! That's what the definition of an affair is anyway…"_

But as we both stood up from the grass, I realized that a part of me was hoping something would happen once Sky got to my apartment. I mean, we would be alone for plenty of hours. Could the two of us resist any temptation and just sit on my couch, catching up on what we were both up to for the past seven years?

_"Yes! Yes, you can do it. You have a fiancé; you know exactly how to resist Sky."_

At that moment, Sky leaned towards me, and for a split second, I thought he was going to kiss me. I gasped in shock, so loudly, I felt my cheeks grow red. But he merely stopped a couple inches from me, wiped at my shoulder, and straightened back up.

"Sorry," he said. "You had a ladybug on your shoulder."

"Oh!" I said much too loudly. Sky frowned at me. "Oh God," I nervously laughed, absently brushing at the spot Sky had just touched. "I hate ladybugs, so thanks for doing that."

"You're welcome?" Sky asked, still gazing down at me.

I merely held up my hand. "Don't ask. I get a little woozy in the sun."

Sky chuckled, and my cheeks grew warm again. "Don't worry about it. Let's get you inside then." He held out his hand for me, and I hesitated.

"I don't know if we sh-." I looked out towards all the people in the park. Any one of them could be my coworker from the school, my friend that knew I was engaged to Mike, or even one of Mike's friends. If any of them saw me walking hand-in-hand with a man different from Mike, the situation wouldn't go ignored.

"Didn't stop you before," Sky said, rather coldly.

I looked at up him. "Please, Sky."

It looked as if he didn't want to give in, but he merely shoved his hands into his pockets. "It's fine. I get it. Let's just get to your apartment."

And with that, the two of us left Central Park and began to walk to my building. My heart was beating against my chest, and whenever I took a glance at Sky, I was sure that his pounding heartbeat was ringing in his ears as well.


	34. Yours

Yours

The walk back to my apartment was, surprisingly, pleasant. My nerves almost seemed to take over my entire body, but a revelation hit me as we were about halfway home: this was Sky. He is my best friend, the person who understands me best. How could I ever be afraid of talking to him?

As if he could read my mind, Sky suddenly said, "You have never gone this long without saying something."

I immediately laughed. Sky had always made fun of my jabbering mouth. He said it was my way of avoiding awkward situations. "Maybe I'm just thinking…" I pointed out, leaning towards him flirtatiously.

He rolled his eyes but kept a glance on my face longer than necessary. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," I answered immediately. Sky looked towards me. I sighed. "I'm just so nervous I'm going to run into someone I know. If I do that, then I'll have to introduce you-."

"Oh, what a terrible thing to do."

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. "You know what I mean," I said quietly.

Sky looked as if he wanted to give a rebuttal, but instead, he nodded his head. I almost hated it more when he gave in so quickly. It wasn't a "Sky" thing to do. Hadn't he been the one to fly here from Neverland, refusing to believe that I left him for a good reason? "You think too much," Sky said bluntly. "That's what your problem is."

"Oh, so we're going to talk about my problems now?" I laughed.

"So what if we do?"

"Well if we get to talk about mine, then we get to talk about yours."

Sky lifted his chest. "I don't have any problems."

I scoffed at him, and he gave me a reprising look. "Sorry, Sky, but nobody's perfect."

That smile of his could light up a room. Everything about it was perfect: his teeth, the way he licked his lips before doing it, how it curved to the right whenever he really enjoyed something. I felt my smile falter, but I put it back on immediately. I couldn't melt right here; I had to make it through this day.

"Okay," I said bluntly. Sky looked at me questioningly. "What is my biggest problem?"

Sky looked as if it were Christmas. "Are you serious?"

"Yes! I really want to know."

"And you're not going to get mad at me?"

I glared at him.

"All right, all right," Sky exclaimed, putting his hands up. "Put you can't say I didn't warn you!"

"Hey hey! We make a deal though. You get to tell me my bad attributes, and I get to tell you yours. How does that sound?"

Without saying anything, Sky held his hand out to me. I looked at it for a second, looked at his face, and then back at his hand. I wrapped my skin against his, enjoying the little things for a brief second.

"Sounds like a deal," Sky breathed.

We let go of each other, but I could feel the indecision in Sky's movement. He stared at my hand for a moment longer than a second but then looked ahead in thought. I gazed at his side profile, awaiting his response.

"Hmmmmm…which one, which one?" he asked to himself, stealing a slide glance at me.

I lightly hit arm. "You ass."

"Oh, come on, I'm just playing with you. All right, I got one." He turned his head to get full view of my face. "You're self-conscious about your intelligence level."

My head crammed with rebuttals, but I felt my mouth fall slightly open. His face was covered in satisfaction, but he was looking at me hesitantly, as if nervous to hear what I had to say next. I let him suffer for a moment and looked forward, my mind swimming with endless possibilities of what to say.

"Well?" Sky interjected. "What do you have to say to that?" His voice was casual, but I knew Sky better than anyone. He was being careful. The barrier that was still forged between us was strong and fortified; it would take something big to crack through it. He was scared it was this comment that would be the water to break the dam.

"That was a problem of mine years ago, but I think I've gotten over it."

"Uh huh," Sky commented, looking unconvinced. "Sure."

My response was like a whip, cracking through the air. "How would you know? You don't know anything about me now."

He looked staggered only for a moment and then his face went back to his sarcastically, contemptuous expression. "I know more about you than you think, remember?"

"Like what?"

"Like you still do not know how smart you are; that's what."

"Oh, and how smart am I, Sky? I would really like to know…"

This conversation was ridiculous; we both knew it. However, this became a custom that almost seemed like a tradition between Sky and me. We never agreed. It would be much too effortless to have the same opinion on things. It was much more compelling to continuously question each other. Sometimes, I felt like Sky's mother, the way I gave him advice. He had joked, multiple times in Neverland, that I was the mother he never had. I had laughed, but secretly, and ironically, agreed with him at the same time.

Sky took a deep breath, picking his head up to get a look at our surroundings. I looked myself, out of habit, to make sure that nobody I knew was walking by. Every so often, I would see a man that had the same haircut or sweater as Mike, and my heart would stop for a second. However, they would pass by, paying no notice to my childhood lover and me.

"Corie, you're a teacher now. That's something I never thought you would do!" Sky exclaimed.

I looked at the smile on his face in interest. "Really?"

"Yeah! I always thought you would be a famous writer or a famous actress, or something like that."

My eyebrows furrowed. "Sky, it's really hard for people to get jobs like that here. You really thought I would be an actress?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know; you said you always loved being in the plays at your school."

I smiled. "You remember that?"

"Of course I do."

I tried as hard as I could to ignore the flipping feeling I felt in the base of my stomach. Clearing my throat, I tore my eyes away from Sky's face. "Well, I know your problem," I said, my voice rising nonchalantly.

"What is it?"

And it popped right into my head. "It's hard for you to forgive people, especially yourself." As the words came out, my voice didn't sound like mine. I almost wanted to take it back because I was so afraid of how well I knew him.

The words came out though, and Sky was looking straight ahead, his eyes lost. "Especially myself?" he repeated.

"Yes," I mumbled. "You know I'm right on that."

His gaze fell on me for a moment, but then his head snapped forward right away. "Give me an example."

"Oh, Sky, come on. I didn't pester you that much!"

"Yeah, but you knew exactly what I was talking about. I'm not quite sure what to make of your statement."

I gave him a prying state. "You really don't know?" I asked, disbelief coloring my phrase.

"No! I don't!"

He looked genuinely surprised, and I was taken aback. How could Sky not know this problem of his? His entire time in Neverland, he had seemed to find a way to make himself the blame of every poor situation: his family forgetting him, Tug's death, the Peter and Wendy situation, etc. The list was endless. Even little things always got to him. It seemed as if he could find no one else to feel resentment against, so he made himself the enemy.

"I don't want to go into it," I finally said.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sky look my way and then back to our destination. I noticed that we were only five minutes away, and my heart flipped. I could not allow myself to feel excitement. He was merely going to walk in and then walk out. The risk of Mike and Maggie coming home was high, and I did not want to deal with any calamitous situations like the ones I had had the previous night.

Suddenly, after I saw Sky lift towards a hanging branch, he asked casually, "How is Ali doing?"

Ali.

I hadn't thought of her in a long time. Sure, the sight of Sky brought back memories of the two of us in Neverland, but it was as if she were merely a photo, a memory pasted on a piece of paper. I missed her more than anything, I realized then. She was one of my best friends, and I had not talked to her since college.

Sky spoke up after I didn't say anything. "You don't keep in contact with her, do you?"

"Well, our lives are completely different," I said, rather defensively. "It's hard to keep track of someone when they live far away from you."

"Hey hey, I wasn't patronizing you. I was just stating a fact, wasn't I?"

I nodded my head and looked down at my feet.

"You miss her?"

Rolling my eyes, I answered, "Of course I do. She was one of my best friends, wasn't she?"

Sky's tone was casual, but I could tell he was trying to get me to talk more. "If she was one of your best friends, why didn't you keep in contact with her?"

What could I say to that? I had no excuses, no reasons, and no complaints. It was my fault for not keeping up with her. How easy was it to call her once a month? All those times we had visited our hometown, I could have rung her up and asked her to dinner. But I hadn't. It was as if I could hear my mom's voice in my head.

"You know, Corie, you really only stay friends with a few number of people from high school. Don't be surprised if you never see or hear from some of your friends after college."  
I had rolled my eyes back then too.

Sky was staring at me, and I came back to the present, feeling the wind brushing at the back of my neck. I sighed. "I don't have an excuse. I really don't. It's just hard to stay friends with everyone, you know?" I asked, looking up at him.

He laughed. "No, I don't."

I laughed too and looked forward again. "I forget that you usually have no idea what I'm talking about."

"Yeah, it upsets me too."  
"Well, most of it is trivial and unimportant. It's just the real world."

He smiled at my indifference but looked at me again. "Why don't you call her up?"

Did I even have her number anymore? I'm sure we were still Facebook friends, but I couldn't remember the last time I had looked up at her as a contact in my phone.

"I don't have her number," I admitted. "I think we might still be friends on Facebook."  
"Facebook…?"

I smiled. "Never mind."

I came to a halt.

My apartment building was straight ahead, within thirty feet. My chest suddenly felt tight, and my hands had instantly become clammy. Sky walked a little ahead of me but then noticed I had stopped. He turned and looked at me, his eyebrows drawn together.

"What are you doing?"

I pointed numbly at my building. "I live here."

With a slight flick of the head, Sky looked up at my apartment and then back at me. "Then what are we waiting for?"

His smile did nothing to calm my nerves. I forced a grimace and walked in front of him towards the front door. I held it open for him, and he gave me a goofy grin.

"How kind of you!" he said, emphasizing his British accent.

"Shut up." But I had said it with a grin.

Walking towards the elevators, I looked at Sky out of the corner of my eye. "Have you even ridden an elevator before?"  
"A what?"

"An elevator. These," I said, gesturing towards the rows of golden doors in my lobby.

He looked at them for a brief second. "Nope…I have not."

"Well, it'll be an adventure then!"

I hit the "up" button and drew back quickly. My doorman was not sitting at his desk; he was most likely getting food or was in the bathroom. I silently thanked God for giving me one break.

Sky lightly hit my arm and broke me out of my reverie. "What?" I demanded.

"Why do you look so uptight? Loosen up!" he said, slightly flailing his arms.

I tucked my hair behind my ears. "I am not uptight! I'm just thinking."

"About what?" Sky asked, his tone completely different than before.

I sneaked a peek at him and saw only his bright eyes staring back at me. My head snapped back to the elevator door, and I shrugged my shoulders. "About a lot of things. About you, about me, about how weird this is, about my sister, about Mike…"  
Sky made a guttural noise in the back of this throat, but I refused to look at him.

"We're only going to stay here for a little while, right, Sky?"

"Sure, whatever you want."

The elevator rang with a ding as the doors slid open for our entry. I stepped forward and noticed Sky hesitating as he drew near the entrance as well.

"Just step in," I said, stifling a laugh as Sky inched closer.

"Why is it so small?"

The doors began to close on him. "Hurry up!" I exclaimed, grabbing his shoulder. I pulled him in, and the elevator doors closed completely.

"Sky, hit 21 for me."

"What?" he said breathlessly.

I laughed. "Hit 21," I said again, pointing at the lighted buttons.

"Whoa!"

As he cautiously hit the button, I realized the hilarity of this situation. Sky's head was only inches away from the ceiling of the elevator. He was staring at the buttons and the screen that labeled each floor we were passing as if they were treasures. He looked around him, not really knowing where to stand. I pressed my hand against my lips to trap the giggle fighting to get out.

"Come stand by me," I said.

"Huh?" Sky asked, turning around.

I waved him over, rolling my eyes.

He walked over, taking very small steps. Once he was next to me, his shoulders sagged, and he leant against the railing.

"This is the weirdest thing I've ever seen," he whispered.

I looked at his profile and smiled. Every time his lips moved, I was hypnotized. Without realizing it, I always drew closer to him, praying for him to touch me in some way. His hand was an inch away from mine, and I took in his skin, his smell, his whole demeanor. Sky had always been irresistible to me, and now, I had to do everything to resist him. Before, I could do whatever I wanted with him. Now…I was tied down. I was _engaged_. Even being with Sky right now felt wrong, but at the same time, I never wanted him to go. The thought of him leaving for even a couple hours made my heart tighten. Seeing him go was a nightmare. I always just wanted to see his face, beaming, coming towards me as if we hadn't seen each other in years.

"Elevator."

I turned to him.

"What?" I laughed.

"Elevator. That's what you said this was called, correct?"

"Yes, it is an elevator."  
There was a moment of silence, but, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Sky was still sounding "elevator" out over and over.

"How long will it take us to get up there?"

"Um, about two minutes or so. It doesn't take long. One time—there was this kid with me, and he hit _all_ of the buttons. It took me about 15 minutes just to get home. I was so-."

"Then that doesn't give us very long," Sky interrupted.

"What are you-?" I asked, turning towards him.

All of a sudden, his lips were on mine, crushing them against my teeth. I wanted to yell out in pain; it felt as if he were deliberately bruising them.

But then my heart realized what was happening.

_"He's doing it. He's kissing you."_

My eyes closed, and I did all I could to ignore my head and just let my heart be the victor for once.

Sky's arms were all over me, his breath lingering against my cheek, his hair brushing against my forehead. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and did all I could to hang on; my knees were sagging towards the floor. I had never felt this lighthearted in a kiss.

His tongue against mine, his soft lips slipping in and out of my mouth… these were the things that made me forget my surroundings. Nothing else on Earth mattered except this moment. I wanted to cry, I wanted to laugh, I wanted to yell out, but right then, I was kissing him, and that was more important than anything else.

Kissing Sky was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I silently cursed myself for not doing this earlier. Why must we talk when kissing each other felt so good? Why must I worry about everyone and everything in my life when this made me feel…whole?

Each floor buzzed as we passed, but no one wanted our elevator. It was ours for the moment and for the rest of our lives. I didn't even think about the other people in the building. Right then, it was as if Sky and I were the only ones that mattered. No one else did. The selfishness was ringing through my ears, but I really did not care. It bothered me more that Sky was not holding me tight enough and that as my eyes opened for a moment, I saw that we were passing floor 15. I never wanted to get to my floor.

Sky pushed me against the wall of the elevator, banging my back against the golden tiles. I exhaled sharply, digging my hands into his back. His mouth went to my lips, down to my collarbone, and then, finally, at my neck. His tongue caressed my skin, and I almost yelled out.

I ran my fingers through his hair and smiled. I had forgotten how soft his hair could be when he tried. Thinking back on Neverland, his light tresses were always full of sand, dirt, or bugs. It was a habit of mine to pick something out each time my hands had run through. I wished right then that there was something for me to grab at, but his hair was smoother than ever.

The love I felt for Sky overcame me, and I suddenly felt weak with feelings. How could I have lived without him for this long? Tears came to my eyes, and as foolish as it felt, it reminded me of his effect on me. I just wanted to squeeze him. I was gritting my teeth with excitement. I had never felt this with Mike before, and as sad as it was to admit it, it was the truth.

Much too quickly, the elevator beeped with arrival, and both of our eyes flew open.

Sky stepped back quickly and looked up at the number, his chest heaving. "We're here?"

"Yes," I breathed. Making sure my hair was down and neat, the doors slowly opened.

Nobody was there, and I had never been happier to be alone with Sky.

Sky stepped out onto the floor and grabbed me the second I walked out with him.

"Whoa!" I cried, stepping out of his reach. "Hang on." But I smiled at him.

His faltering face cracked into a smile too, and his hand went to his hair. "I'm sorry. I'm losing control. Just open up your door, okay?"

My walk slowed, and Sky practically ran into me. "What's wrong?" he asked, his hand touching the small of my back.

I stopped completely and turned to stare at him. His face was full of fervor, and I could tell what his intentions were. The thing was, mine were the same, but I had never felt so much regret in this.

"Sky—we can't," I whispered.

He bent towards me, his eyes wild. "Corie, yes we can. Do you know how badly I want to touch you? Do you know how long I have waited to feel your skin against mine? To touch every part of your body? To lie with you naked for hours?"

"How do you think we can do this?" I asked, feeling desperate. "You think we can lie around for hours? Maggie or Mike could come back at any second!"

"You didn't seem so apprehensive in the elevator," he said, his tone completely different.

I frowned at him. "That's different. It was just a kiss." As the words came out, I realized how horrible it sounded, and I wanted to take them back immediately.

Sky walked past me, right past my door and on past two others.

"Sky—wait! I'm sorry!" I caught up with him and grabbed his shoulders, pressing firmly against his skin. "I didn't mean it like that." Looking up at the back of his head, I could see that he was softening. Just touching each other was enough of an apology. "It's just that – I'm nervous. The last thing I want is for Maggie and Mike to find out about this."

"Well, you're going to have to tell them sometime, right? I mean, Maggie already knows about me."

"Yeah, what's your point?"

Sky turned around, so abruptly, I almost fell. But he caught me and looked me right in the face with the most determined expression I had ever seen him wear.

"Be with me. Pick me. Love me. You know that this is what's right. You know that all you want is to run away with me. I can see it in your eyes. You try to act like nothing is going on here, but I know you better than anyone else, Corie! You keep lying to yourself, and there's no need to."

I stared at him for a second, my eyes tearing up.

"Pick me," he whispered.

And with that, I jumped into his arms and kissed him hard on the lips. It took an instant for him to respond.

Not really knowing how, we made it to my apartment door. As Sky allowed me to slide against the wood, I fished for the key in my purse pocket, still kissing Sky as hard as I could.

The key fit, the door was unlocked, and it opened.

Sky hoisted me into his arms again, breathing hard. I clung on as tightly as I could as he shuffled into the room and slammed the door shut behind us.

That homey smell of my apartment hit me stronger than it ever had, and I realized that this was because this it had always meant to be me and Sky's home. There was no other reason to explain for how comfortable I felt doing this. I was cheating on Mike, and yet, it felt more right than anything else I had ever done in life.

All of a sudden, my back was against the doorway of my kitchen. Sky momentarily took his lips off mine as my sweater was taken off over my head. I took this opportunity to take Sky's shirt off as well.

And when I caught the sight of his stomach, it was like being in euphoria. I instantly paused and stared down hungrily at his skin. Without realizing it, my hands were trailing over his abs, my nails just barely scratching the surface.

Sky groaned and kissed me again, carrying me over towards the couch. His hands were already working on the zipper of my dress, and I was doing the same on his belt buckle.

"Since when do you wear belts?" I breathed, biting on his lip.

He merely laughing and hitched my legs up higher on his waist. Sky's hands were doing wonders all over my body. I was tingling over every inch he touched. As he managed to get my dress down to my torso, I shook it off with my kicking feet.

All of a sudden, I was dropped onto the couch, the wind blowing through my gritting teeth. Sky was standing above me, determined and with a blazing look on his face.

I merely waited, ready and willing for this to happen.

Sky worked on getting his pants off as I unclipped my bra. His eyes immediately went to my bare chest, and I could see the glint in his eyes.

It took only a couple more seconds for us to be completely naked, and then we were in front of each other, both of us breathing heavily from all of this activity.

Sky leant over the arm of the couch, hovering over me. He slowly descended, allowing his body to weigh lightly against mine.

I gasped as we came in contact, and I could feel every part of his like he was ignited with fire.

When I looked up at his face, I saw that he was smiling. A smile that I had never seen before. It was nervous, as if it were a high school prom picture. Yet there was an innocence there that I had never seen Sky wear before. He was telling me that this is what he had always wanted, and that the wait had been worthwhile.

I kissed him in response and then soon inhaled sharply as Sky began what we had both been waiting for for seven years.


End file.
